Dear Billy T and Somerville Speakup Line,
I’m not a happy camper…..
Bubba
Email from From: Robert Ciampi
Date: Wed, Feb 21, 2018 at 4:00 PM
Subject: Property Transfer Tax
Sent To: Somerville Board of Aldermen
boardofaldermen@somervillema.gov
Dear BOA,
Most of y’all I know and some I do not. I just wanted to express my displeasure about this new “TAX” y’all are putting on the lifelong Somerville homeowners. This Administration has been trying to squeeze the life out of us that remain in the City since this Administration lost its battle with Mr. Wynn over the proposed building of the Casino in Everett due to the high impact of pollution forecasted for the City. This is totally unacceptable. These funds, if it was approved, would have helped the new price tag of the High School and Greenline Extension, However, it was not approved. Now this Administration needs to fund all these projects and need the Citizens to foot the bill.
Before, you all agreed with this Administration to erect a new High School, Extend the Greenline and several other important projects that need to be done but never thought of a feasible way without throwing this burden on the Citizens of the City. In the past, y’all tried to pass Prop 2 ½ and it failed. Now the only way this Administration can get what they want is to throw another new found way to extract the life out of us.
When is enough “ENOUGH”?
Are all dwellings in the City being subjected to this new “TAX” including Condos, Townhouses, Single and Multi Dwellings? Why!!!
How much money in taxes, as well as revenue for the City, has just Assembly Row produced? Where are all the funds being applied? Certainly not to our deplorable streets in the City. Certainly not to all the infrastructure in the City. Certainly not to adding Police or Fireman to the City ranks. Instead, this Administration shuts down a Firehouse and expects us to be OK with that. I’m not! Engine 7 is my area and I hope the additional wait time for a response from our finest, does not jeopardize any homes or lives. Instead it’s being applied to new and updated vehicles for DPW almost every 3 years.
Yes, the BOA and all City workers that own or live in the City are in this “TAX BOAT”. Yes, our Renters get hit hard with a rent increase and many will not stay. Please re-think this new “TAX” and find alternative ways in acquiring the funds to move forward with all the projects associated with this Administration.
Sincerely,
Bob Ciampi
81 Hudson Street
Somerville, MA 02143-1112
PS—
My point about owners of the East End Grill:
They got suckered in to buy the run down building, invest a great deal of money, then see their taxes triple the following year- from $3k to 9k, in the following quarter.
I guess they weren’t close friends of the administration- and their restaurant didn’t do so well— but the former alderman cake to their rescue, a few years later, the city boards broom in the project and owners get to pay off their debt.
That’s how they roll here in Somerville.
Convince unsuspecting property owners of their hopes and dreams, then force them into a financial hardship, take the property away and hand it back to members and friends of the administration—past and present.
One would think they could change up their game by now. But that would take intelligence and their all so drunk on power— their unspoken words are “who’s gonna stop us”.
We are not only the laughing stock of the surrounding towns, but the nation.
Anyone with half a brain would never sign up for this. Those of us who have lived here long enough understand only too well what is really going on.
Stop making excuses- the assessor who had since retired (good timing), explained at a meeting in East Somerville that this administration said it was the state that forced our triple tax increase (due to their kindness of not increasing in past years, based on fake over valuations when they were too cowardly to admit it. One new restaurant owner, at the time, (The East End Grill), who finally caved in to pressure to sell which our former alderman another land Barron (estimated to own an undisclosed number of new condos in our city) was only too happy to accommodate and zoning/planning passed the 22 condo units— with blatant disregard of the frustrated neighbors who were against it for good reasons. Another development that will strip neighbors of street parking— that’s another way to force residents to move out.
The patterns are clear— I followed these poor decisions which deeply effect our local working class residents for the last two decades.
Certain members of this administration reward themselves for the poor job they have done and then spend money on projects that towns like Andover and Sudbury can afford. Just take a drive passed their high schools to see what big money by professionals can buy.
Somerville is not Andover and never will be – this city is just one big delusional failure.
When the lawsuits come calling, their answer is to make up another tax and put it on the already struggling local families and elderly. It’s a disgrace.
This showboat won’t last forever. All the long time residents including our good police will soon be rejoicing when this city administration final is revealed for what it truly is.
When GLX gets shutdown, those corporate investors will be looking for the responsible parties and hopefully our tax money won’t be used— instead they should be sued personally.
They sold our city out to a corporate takeover.
The transfer tax did not start at the City level and is a product of your rep at Beacon Hill. The tax is on any property sold in the Commonwealth of MA and there are exemptions.