The average single-family homeowner in Pittsfield and North Adams will pay four percent more in taxes in fiscal 2016.In Pittsfield the increase means the average homeowner will pay $126 more a year, while the hike in North Adams is $65. North Adams Mayor Richard Alcombright says the biggest issue for the city is growth which he says can help level taxes.
“I’ve been in this business since 2001 as a city councilor and taxes have increased every year,” Alcombright said in a recent interview with WAMC. “Taxes increase every place. Electric and cable bills increase every place. It won’t necessarily stop, but it will help soften the increases.”
Both cities have separate tax rates for commercial and residential properties. The average commercial property owner in Pittsfield will pay nearly $1,200 more, a 6.4 percent increase.
