HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-09-06
ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF NONVOTING TAXPAYERS
Minutes of meeting 10:00 A.M., SATURDAY, September 6, 2008, in the
2 Fairgrounds Road Conference Room. d
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1. Present: Howard Blitman, David Brown, Roger Ernst, Bill Shefrt1an, ~
Jim Treanor, together with guest Tim Madden, former selectnlan, curre~t
Legislative Liaison for Nantucket, and candidate for State Representati~e
for the Cape and Islands. ~.3
2. Chair Howard Blitman called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. The ;;
minutes of the 8/16/08 meeting were conditionally approved.
3. After introductions, Tim Madden recalled the early years of ACNVT
when anger was evident [about the residential tax exemption for year-
round households rising to 20%].
4. He turned next to the State issue of enabling casinos in MA. With a new
MA administration and a new tribe advancing the idea, enabling
legislation from the General Court may be forthcoming, a turnaround.
5. To boost Town revenues MA legislation has been proposed to extend the
Room Occupancy Tax from hotels, guest houses, etc. to short term
rentals of private residences. [Our Town has endorsed that legislation.]
While supported by our State representatives and several towns, the
legislation is stalled. To succeed in a future legislative session, Tim
recommended getting more towns to voice support and to include in the
legislation the right of a town to opt out (i.e., to rescind) as well as to opt
in. Ideally the whole tax [at a rate set by the town] would go into Town
coffers. Cited by Tim was a Governoris bill allowing towns not only to
adopt meals tax legislation but to set the level of the tax rate.
6. If ACNVT thought that the room fccupancy tax should be payable by
hotel residences but the law wasmt clear, ACNVT could recommend a
home rule petition to assure payment of the tax in Nantucket. (Nantucket
was characterized as having the most home rule petitions of any MA
municipality.) Our Chair is sending the revised letter to the BaS raising
the question whether the Town will be paid its share of the ROT tax on
rentals of hotel residences.
7. Tim likened his role in General Court to that of a summer resident in
Nantucket: you can participate in government (and pay your taxes) but
you canIt vote. Summer resident Wendy Schmidt{,s role in getting things
done in Nantucket was cited, along with praise for Nantucket NGOs in
working to better island life. The way a given island neighborhood finds
help with its problem from those living in other areas was commended.
8. On specific issues, Tim thought the pending home rule bill to allow the
Town to limit automobiles was too broadly worded to get support from
other legislators. A bill setting out specifics of an auto limitations plan
broadly supported by islanders would have a better chance. Tim is
mindful of proposals to charge a fee for auto permits, with no cap on
numbers of autos, but no such proposal has gained solid political support.
(ACNVT might consider sending an update to its 2007 letter to the BaS
on auto limitations.)
9. To keep the downtown strong, the Town building should remain the
center of local government with great shuttle service or other solution to
parking and congestion.
10. Tim praised the MA wastewater act as a tremendous boost to funding
local projects with 50-year zero interest bonds.
II.Nantucketis Housing Bank bill is stalled by opposition from real estate
interests in other areas of the State. Their argument is built on
questioning equity.
12.Responding to Howardis enthusiasm for State resources to fund
affordable island housing, Tim said only small amounts are available. He
questioned the potential benefit in looking to the State housing entity.
The issue of affordability hits Nantucket professionals, given the high
cost of home ownership. Would the Town benefit from having a grants
application officer? The Stateis 40B provision to facilitate developments
with an affordable component enjoys MA support but also criticism of
community impact without usual community controls. Criteria for
invoking 40B could be fine tuned.
13.A suggestion was made of deferring the increase of real estate tax to the
extent raised by increased assessments, with the deferred tax payable
when a property changes hands. That could, for example, help limited-
income elderly on island. The deferral would require MA legislative
sanction.
14.Jim Treanor and Bill Sherman were delegated to meet with Town
Manager Libby Gibson to determine whether she might suggest an
ACNVT action usefully taken this summer, e.g., regarding code
enforcement, in-house legal counselor other. Also for discussion: Mike
Kopkois interest in a summer resident who might usefully join the
committee evaluating options for the public safety facility proposed for 2
Fairgrounds Road.
IS.To determine whether the Chair would best set our next (and last) 2008
meeting for September 20 or 27, Secretary Bill Sherman was asked to
canvass the members. The present meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Bill Sherman, Secretary
Agenda items carried over to remaining ACNVT FY2009 meetings:
· Summer Resident Forum for August, 2009, etc.?
· Code enforcement
· Zoning for secondary dwellings
· Zoning to curb clearing all native vegetation from a development
site
· Auto limitation, is it on the agenda of the Downtown
Revitalization Committee? New Urban Institute (ReMain)?
· Meeting with NHA and NHO representatives about on-island
housing
· Position on legislation to extend the guest house room occupancy
tax to vacation home rentals, or other alternative Town revenue
sources
· Developing ACNVT website