By Bob Katzen

The Senate 36-1 approved an amendment that would increase from 30 days to 75 days the amount of time a property owner has to file for an abatement if they feel that their home evaluation was too high.

Amendment sponsor Sen. Nick Collins (D-Boston) said the amendment would help property taxpayers by simply extending the abatement period and giving them more time. He noted that currently we have the bomb drop on January 1 and people who are in the middle class don’t have lawyers and accountants on retainer. He said that when the city increases your property value by 10 percent, you usually put your head down and just eat it, and that’s not fair.

“I voted ‘No’ … because tax classification, exceptions and credits, particularly when novel, should be addressed comprehensively and analyzed in the context of other new proposals and existing law,” said Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy), the only senator to vote against the amendment.

(A Yes” vote is for the amendment. A “No” vote is against it.)

Sen. Patricia Jehlen Yes