Order for a hearing to allow for monthly property tax payments for residents.

Thinking

• This is an order for a hearing, not a final policy change.
• The purpose is to explore allowing automatic monthly payments for residential property taxes.
• The goal is to ease the financial burden on homeowners, especially those without mortgages, who face large quarterly bills due to rising taxes.
• Key city departments (CFO, Innovation & Technology, Assessing) are requested to attend the hearing.
• It's a procedural step towards a potential future policy change.

Summary

Councilor Worrell has filed an order for a City Council hearing to explore allowing automatic monthly payments for residential property taxes. This initiative aims to ease the financial burden on 150,072 Boston residential parcel owners, particularly those without mortgages, who currently face large quarterly bills due to over 7% annual tax increases since FY19. The hearing will include the city's Chief Financial Officer and representatives from the Department of Innovation and Technology and Assessing.

Citizen Impact

If implemented, this could significantly ease the financial burden of property taxes for homeowners by allowing more manageable monthly payments instead of large quarterly bills.

Confidence

high