SENATE DOCKET, NO. 321        FILED ON: 1/15/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1328

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Benjamin B. Downing

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act creating a regional assessors implementation grant program.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 321        FILED ON: 1/15/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1328

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1434 OF 2011-2012.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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An Act creating a regional assessors implementation grant program.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. The department of revenue shall create a regional board of assessors implementation grant program, not to exceed $5 million annually, to encourage the creation of joint or cooperative assessing departments among 2 or more cities or towns, as allowed by section 26 of chapter 41 of the General Laws.  The regional board of assessors implementation grant program shall assist in defraying the implementation costs of joining 2 or more assessing departments in a formal, long-term agreement.  Such agreements shall aim to share resources and coordinate activities among the assessing departments.  Applicants may propose to use implementation grants for costs including, but not limited, to: consultants for legal, financial or organizational development, training education, costs for communication, software or technical applications, and staffing.

Eligible applicants shall include groups of municipalities who intend to execute or explore the feasibility of executing formal agreements to create regional boards of assessors.  Applications for prospective regional boards may be submitted on behalf of municipalities applying together; by a lead municipality chosen from among the applicant municipalities; by a regional planning agency; or by a regional council of governments.  Municipalities may be added to the regional board after submitting an application.

SECTION 2. The department shall establish the program by January 1, 2014.