Candidate’s Survey: Board of Assessors 2022

The Board of Assessors is a three person body that is required by Massachusetts Law. Members serve three year terms, with one member of the board elected each year. The job of the Board of Assessors is to list and value all real and personal property in Belmont. Valuation is subject to ad valorem taxation on an assessment roll each year. The “ad valorem” basis for taxation means that all property should be taxed “according to value.” In Belmont, that means the Assessors’ Office must appraise and assess approximately 8000 parcel of property each year.

Property assessments are critical in Belmont, where more than 80% of our operating revenue is derived from property taxes. To arrive at “full and fair cash value” for your property, the Assessor must know what “willing sellers” and “willing buyers” are doing in the marketplace. The Assessor also must collect, record and analyze a great deal of information about property and market characteristics in order to estimate the fair market value, including keeping current on cost of construction in the area and any changes in zoning, financing and economic conditions which may affect property values. Belmont’s Board of Assessors uses the three nationally recognized appraisal approaches to value: cost, income and market. This data is then correlated into to final value.

Assessors are required to submit these values to the State Department of Revenue for certification every five years. In the years between certification, Assessors must also maintain the values. The Town of Belmont reassesses each and every year, subject to a Massachusetts Department of Revenue statistical review. This is done so that the property taxpayer pays his or her fair share of the cost of local government, in proportion to the amount of money the property is worth, on a yearly basis rather than every five years.

Three year position (vote for one):

There is only one candidate listed on the ballot for this position, Charles-Laverty, III, who is running for re-election.

Charles Laverty, III (Candidate for re-election)

NameCharles Laverty, III
Emaillaverty3@yahoo.com
I’m a candidate for:Board of Assessors
I am running as a:Candidate for re-election
I am seeking my ___ term in office:4th
Volunteer & community activities? (optional):Feel free to list any volunteer or community activities you have engaged in. This could be serving on a committee, coaching/assistant coaching a youth team, volunteering for a civic/religious organization, etc. etc.
Belmont Housing Authority State Appointee
Former Town Meeting Member
Former Member Belmont Housing Trust
Former Member Human Rights Commission
Candidate’s Statement:Please provide a short statement (100-200 words) about why you are running. (You may re-use or expand upon your LWV statement.)
It has been a great honor for me to serve the town on the Board of Assessors. Why am I running for re-election? I think there is still work to be done. The last two years have been challenging for everyone. As Assessors our staff is tasked with determining the “fair cash value” for every piece of property in the town. COVID-19 made inspections harder to do. The Board worked hard to obtain the proper value in light of the pandemic.
Accomplishments:Briefly: describe your main accomplishments in your most recent term in office.
Like most public servants the pandemic was the major challenge in our current term. Two years ago the pandemic hit the Board of Assessors at the beginning of the abatement process, our busiest season. Through our staff and countless Zoom Meetings we were able to review and act on the abatements of that year. Now in our third abatement cycle of the pandemic the Board continues to gather all relevant information needed for proper valuation.
Charles Laverty, candidate for Town Board of Assessors

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