Kingston Sets Single Tax Rate for FY2025, Prepares for Special Town Meeting
Board votes to maintain unified rate as average home value rises to $633,409
KINGSTON, MA - November 12 - Kingston's Board of Selectmen voted Tuesday to maintain a single tax rate for all property classes in fiscal year 2025, as the town gears up for a special town meeting next week to address key issues including MBTA zoning and playground repairs.
The board unanimously approved a residential factor of 1.0, resulting in a tax rate of $12.97 per $1,000 of assessed value for all property types. This decision came after a presentation by Principal Assessor Maureen Clarke, who recommended against adopting split rates or various exemptions.
"It's deemed the fairest action to adopt in apportioning the tax bill in Kingston," Clarke said of the single rate. "It produces the same rate for all classes of property."
The average single-family home value in Kingston has risen to $633,409 for FY2025, up from $591,440 in the previous year. This increase translates to an estimated average tax bill of $8,215, approximately $700 higher than last year.
Clarke attributed the larger-than-usual increase partly to reduced new growth in the town. "A lot of it has to do with so much less new growth, and just what we spend," she explained.
The town's total property value for FY2025 is $3,413,919,852, an increase of about 7.2% from the previous year. Residential properties continue to make up the bulk of Kingston's tax base at 86.88%, with commercial, industrial, and personal property accounting for the remainder.
Town Administrator Keith Hickey noted that budget preparations for fiscal year 2026 are underway, with capital improvement plan documents already distributed to department heads.
"Our finance director will be distributing budget information in the next couple of weeks to the department heads to get back sometime in the middle of December," Hickey said.
The board also looked ahead to the special town meeting scheduled for Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. at Kingston Intermediate School. Key items on the agenda include voting on MBTA zoning and playground repairs.
"It shouldn't be a terribly long meeting. It's certainly not as long as our annual town meetings, but it's very, very important, I think, for folks to be there if they can," said Board Chair Eric Crone.
In other business, the board appointed David Kulikowski as the new building commissioner, with an anticipated start date in early December. Kulikowski, who holds degrees in construction management from Wentworth Institute of Technology, comes to Kingston from positions in Rockland and Norton.
The board also appointed Colleen Chase as the new administrative assistant to the fire chief, effective Nov. 13.
Hickey reported on ongoing initiatives, including efforts to introduce online permitting for various town services. "Kingston is significantly lacking compared to some of the other communities," he said, emphasizing the need to allow residents to conduct town business online.
The town administrator also highlighted the progress on the Blackwater Memorial Forest project, with wetland restoration underway and bids expected for the second phase by Dec. 2.
Board member Tyler Bouchard reminded residents about deer hunting season and the increased risk of deer-related accidents. "If you're in the woods, it's great to wear bright colors, especially orange," he advised.
As the meeting concluded, board members encouraged public participation in the upcoming special town meeting. "Please come, please vote," urged board member Kimberly Emberg. "MBTA zoning, playground repairs, things you care about, things that matter."
