Town Council delays TIF committee appointments amid charter objections
Two councilors invoke procedural rule to postpone vote on tax increment financing (TIF) committee members, citing need for new town manager input
BRIDGEWATER - June 30 - The Bridgewater Town Council postponed voting on appointments to a Tax Increment Financing committee Monday night after two councilors raised charter objections to delay the decision.
Councilors Marillee Hunt and Mark Linde invoked the procedural rule, which automatically moves the item to the next meeting without discussion. The appointments would have completed a five-member TIF committee to evaluate a proposed tax break for a Broad Street development project.
The committee already has three approved members: Councilors Sonya Striggles, Paul Murphy, and Mary McGrath. Town Manager Blythe Robinson had recommended two additional members, Daniel Greenberg and Fred Chase to complete the panel.
Hunt said she wanted the new town manager, who starts Tuesday, to make the appointments himself rather than inherit decisions made before his tenure.
"I wanted the new town manager, who starts tomorrow to be the appointee of the people going to be on that committee," Hunt said during council comments. "And one of the people on there had a potential. He's already serving on another town committee. So he would have to have approval by the town manager to be serving on a second town committee."
The TIF committee would review a proposed tax increment financing agreement for a development on Broad Street. The project involves converting a long-vacant property into a mixed-use development.
Tax increment financing allows municipalities to freeze property tax assessments at current levels for a specified period, typically to encourage development of underutilized properties. The developer pays taxes based on the property's current assessed value rather than its improved value after development.
Several residents expressed opposition to the TIF proposal during public comment, arguing the town should not provide tax breaks while facing budget constraints.
"I don't agree with the TIF. I think it's the wrong time to do it," said Janet Hansen of Pleasant Street. "What would stop in the future, another developer saying, hey, what about me? How about zoning this area?"
Councilor Mark Linde echoed concerns about setting precedent for future tax breaks.
"We have one developer, the Foundry project, that's going to give $200,000 to this town and then we have a second developer that wants a huge tax break," Linde said. "When we were asking people for more money for taxes that they rejected, I couldn't figure out how to balance those two things."
The charter objection mechanism has been used three times in the past nine months, according to former councilor Fred Chase, who addressed the council during public comment. Chase criticized the frequent use of charter objections, saying they should only be invoked when there's risk of violating the town charter or other laws.
"It's not intended as a mechanism to simply delay a vote or for a councilor who is just adamantly opposed to some measure to put at least a temporary stop to it," Chase said. "I think it's very dangerous."
Chase noted that a charter objection earlier this year prevented a public hearing on the annual town budget, causing it to take effect without public input.
The TIF discussion comes as the council grapples with significant budget pressures following the failure of a tax override in both Bridgewater and Raynham. The Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District faces an $849,000 funding gap after voters rejected the override measure.
During the meeting, councilors discussed various options for funding the school budget, including using general fund money or tapping into stabilization funds. The council has 45 days from last Friday to approve the school budget or risk triggering a joint district-wide meeting.
The Broad Street development represents one of the few commercial development opportunities remaining in Bridgewater, according to resident James Walsh, who referenced a previous presentation by former councilor Eric Moore about planned development districts.
"Commercial tax base is something we consistently talk about, and every time we allow them to bypass it and build residential, we lose some of that acreage," Walsh said.
The TIF committee, once formed, would evaluate whether the proposed tax break serves the public interest and provides sufficient benefit to justify the temporary reduction in tax revenue. The committee's recommendation would then go to the full council for a final vote.
Robinson, who is leaving her position as interim town manager, explained that TIF agreements typically require detailed financial analysis to ensure the municipality receives adequate compensation for the tax reduction.
The council will need to address the appointments at its next meeting to move forward with the TIF evaluation process. The new town manager, Justin Casanova Davis, will have the opportunity to review the proposed appointments and make his own recommendations.
The delay adds uncertainty to the development timeline, as TIF agreements often have specific deadlines tied to project financing and construction schedules. Developers typically seek these agreements early in the planning process to secure favorable financing terms.
The council meeting also addressed several other budget-related items, including union contract ratifications and salary adjustments for town employees. The TIF committee appointments were the only item delayed due to charter objections.
Watch the complete meeting courtesy of the Town of Bridgewater.
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