By John L Sullivan
The newly sworn in Board of Aldermen have provided a draft of the TRANSFER FEE. I want to call it their first Act in a show that has much more.
The entire draft can be seen on the city’s website but I want to provide the two most important aspects of the first act:
Section 2. The city of Somerville may impose a fee of up to one percent ( 1%) of the purchase price upon the transfer of ANY REAL property interest in any rear property situated in the City of Somerville.
(A) If the seller of such real property owned the property for less than 5 consecutive years as of the date of the deed or other instrument evidencing such transfer or such other date as defined by the city, the FEE IMPOSED maybe up to two percent ( 2% ) of the SAID PURCHASE PRICE . However , the increased maximum fee amount in this subsection (a) shall not apply if the seller is a taxpayer approved for an exemption for residential real property with respect to such real property classified as Class one , residential , in the said city of Somerville , pursuant to section 5c of Chapter 59 of the General Laws or any special law , as of said date.
Said fee amounts shall be set forth by the city ordinance . The fee shall be paid to the City of Somerville , hereinafter referred to as the ” City ” . The city shall deposit all fees received into the city of Somerville housing trust fund established by the city.
Section 5 , The city MAY , by ordinance , adopt additional requirements , exemptions and regulations to implement or enforce said fee, consistent with this act.
Yes property owners you allow this to pass and at any given time they can change the language and impose this FEE on every piece of real estate in the city.
This is the first COWARDLY ACT by this group with more to follow. They voted to move forward without providing any notice to the taxpaying property owners in the city they were elected to represent.
The second act of the show of 2018 is the first right of refusal another move to make selling your privately owned piece of property. Another home rule petition moving forward by the BOA.
Attend the public hearing at City hall WEDNESDAY APRIL 4, 2018 @ 6:00 P.M. If you are unaware there is minimal parking and over 200 more spaces will be gone as a result of the upcoming magical act occurring in act three info soon to follow.
Contact every elected official local and State tell them NO to the TRANSFER FEE AND THE FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL. For more information on both these issues.
Go to Small Property Owners Association see the true impacts on both of these home rule petitions. Cambridge City council already said NO.
Somerville old and new it affects all of you unite and fight another attempt to tax us on top of what we already pay, excise, real estate taxes, revaluation taxes, building permits, parking permits, cpa tax, water meter fees, water bills, 250 million bond for a new school without parking, 50 million to the T, Assembly square bonds, Union Square bonds, meal tax.
LETS CANCELL THIS PERFORMANCE ” AN ACT ” Say NO