Meetings Ahead
Most meetings in Wellfleet are remote only, but some are held in person. Go to www.wellfleet-ma.gov/calendar and click on the meeting you want to watch, then follow the instructions on the agenda.
Thursday, Sept. 28
- Cape Cod Commission, 3 p.m., Mary Pat Flynn Conference Room, 3195 Main St., Barnstable and Zoom
- Nauset Regional School Committee, 6 p.m.
- Energy and Climate Action Committee, 7:15 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 2
- Behavioral Health Task Force, 3:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 3
- Cable, Internet, and Cellular Service Advisory Committee, 10 a.m.
- Recycling Committee, 11 a.m.
- Select Board, 7 p.m., Adult Community Center & Zoom
Wednesday, Oct. 4
- Conservation Commission, 4 p.m.
- Historical Commission, 5 p.m.
Conversation Starter
RTE Bumped to 30 Percent
The select board voted unanimously to increase the residential tax exemption (RTE) to 30 percent at its annual tax classification hearing on Sept. 19. The exemption was previously set at 25 percent, which the select board upped last year from 20 percent.
According to Assessor Nancy Vail, there are 822 properties enrolled in the RTE program; there are 4,700 total residential properties, including vacant land.
The average assessed property value in Wellfleet is $921,093. The 25 percent exemption would have allowed 25 percent of that amount, or $230,273, to be deducted from the assessed value of a full-time resident’s home.
Chair Barbara Carboni and Michael DeVasto were both in favor of increasing the exemption rate to the legal maximum of 35 percent, as Provincetown did this fall.
Carboni called the RTE “an appropriate and fair way of supporting year-round residents.” According to Vail, 65 percent of properties in town are owned by nonresidents.
Vice chair John Wolf expressed concern that a further increase could hurt part-time residents who rent out their homes year-round. Vail and board member Ryan Curley pointed out that two home-rule petitions approved by recent town meetings were sent to the state legislature to expand the residential tax exemption to property owners renting year-round. “I don’t know where that is in the legislature,” Vail said.
Last spring, voters at the annual town meeting overwhelmingly approved a nonbinding petition to increase the RTE to 30 percent. “We should act on the advice we received from town meeting,” Curley said. —Sam Pollak
