Editorial: The Biggest Ever

Stockbridge never changes very much or very fast. It is 283 years old, and over much of that time, the population of Stockbridge stayed almost the same. Main Street looks like it did when Rockwell painted it. He started Home for Christmas in 1953 and didn't finish until 1967. Stockbridge Main Street didn't change in those 14 years or in the 55 years since. We were a village then and we are a village now.

On the other end of Main Street, we did move the casino (a reading room and social hall then — the Berkshire Theater Main Stage now) and placed the Mission House on the spot. Austen Riggs and Daniel Chester French did not want the McKim Mead and White building raised so they moved it, but that was almost 100 years ago. Elm Street got reshuffled. Exercising Yankee thrift, a house was moved not torn down. In its place, a mini-strip was built — too small to call it a strip mall. Nope not much changes in Stockbridge and not very fast.

This week, our Town Assessor said, "This is the biggest change in values that we have ever done." Michael Blay was referring to the change in property valuations.

According to the Department of Revenue (DOR), in Massachusetts, Assessors and Boards of Assessors value all taxable property. They "do not assign or create value, they discover value based on location, size, condition, comparable sales price, etc."

If there is a single house much more expensive than others, it can be labeled anomalous, and dropped from the valuation calculation. However, if the market overall changes, so do the valuations. That is what is happening here and now: "biggest change ever."

During COVID19, there was a "flight to safety". Many sought houses in lower density areas. At the time Stockbridge became better known. The two caused a major change. There were bidding wars that drove up prices. Houses purchased were torn down and larger, newer, costlier houses built. The householders were commonly second homes and so teh percentage of second homeowners grew.

Real estate taxes are based on a rate (percentage) of the valuation. The rate is the same for everyone, but valuations vary. Even if you did not tear down, enlarge, or improve your house, your valuation probably went up as a function of the whole market.

There was a great bruhaha about taxes last month, but the discussion didn't begin at the beginning. The beginning is "the biggest ever" increase in valuations and the concomitant rise in taxes.

One elected official realized what was happening and tried to open a discussion about how to lower the taxes for locals. They didn't cause the tax increase and they could least afford it. We will have to do something to maintain the village life, we all, townies and outlanders, love.

Carole Owens
Managing Editor

Photo: Jay Rhind