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Mashpee board to discuss proposed property tax exemption [Cape Cod Times, Hyannis, Mass. :: ](Cape Cod Times (Hyannis, MA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Aug. 16--MASHPEE -- The Mashpee Board of Selectmen will dedicate its Monday meeting to discussing a proposed residential property tax exemption for most year-round town residents. Selectman Andrew Gottlieb made the exemption one of his campaign issues in the May town election, and a working group has been hashing out the issues involved since the spring. The earliest the exemption would be adopted is the 2016 fiscal year, which starts July 1, 2015. Although the Board of Selectmen has not decided if it will adopt the program, an early review of it has been mixed. A memo from Paul Andrews, chairman of the Board of Assessors, said the town would lose revenue if the program was put into place because of the increased administrative costs that would result. The board has consistently recommended against the tax exemption since it was passed into law. A property tax exemption that allows for the maximum 20 percent would result in lower taxes for about 4,876 taxpayers, but 5,764 taxpayers would see their taxes go up to make up for the lost revenue, according to a town analysis. Of those whose taxes would rise, about 151 would be year-round residents with homes worth more than $850,000. The Board of Selectmen has not taken a position on the tax exemption and plans to have a second discussion on the matter before doing so. Twelve towns across the state, including Barnstable and Nantucket, have a residential exemption in place. Follow Sean F. Driscoll on Twitter: @seanfdriscoll. ___ (c)2014 the Cape Cod Times (Hyannis, Mass.) Visit the Cape Cod Times (Hyannis, Mass.) at www.capecodonline.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |