By Brett Yates
Pittsfield’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2023-2024 is smaller than the previous year’s, but the amount to be raised by municipal taxes has gone up by about $100,000.
“We had more surplus money last year than we do this year,” Town Clerk Trish Abbondelo explained.
The town plans to spend $633,140.46, of which municipal taxes would cover $510,991.46. A pair of articles could together add an extra $95,000 for highway department building maintenance and the volunteer fire department’s truck reserve fund. These additional approvals would bring the estimated municipal tax rate to 0.4774%, compared to 0.4285% in 2022-2023, according to Abbondelo.
Pittsfield’s total tax rate will depend upon its education tax rate, which, as in other towns, will be set according to a formula devised by the state. Voters will consider a $994,945 budget for the Pittsfield School District, which spent about $52,000 less last year.
Pittsfield’s Town Meeting Day is not expected to feature competitive races for any of the 12 elected offices listed on the warning.
Pittsfield voters will meet at the Town Hall at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7 to transact business from the floor.
