Fixing Assessments, Aging in Place, EMS
Patrick White for State Representative
Detail from a giant field of violets that appear every spring behind my house.
If you find these notes helpful, consider forwarding this email to five or ten friends and ask them to subscribe at my website.
Adding a Safety Valve to Property Tax Assessments
I spent nearly three years on the Regional School District Planning Board. We worked on a plan to merge our two school districts. It was embraced by some, rejected by others. I’m glad to have served, as it was an incredible learning experience: not only about how schools are funded and operated, but also the hopes and dreams of the parents and children who attend these schools. The message I took away from this experience was that folks want to protect the character of their communities. I heard you loud and clear.
There was one aspect of the proposal that stands out for its novelty: the safety valve. It was designed to ensure that a member town’s assessment would not increase more than a calculated percentage each year when compared to the prior year. I think we need to take this idea to Boston and to apply it to property tax assessments.
Fixing the Algorithm
Let me explain. If your neighbor’s house sells at an eye-popping price, your assessment and tax bill may go up, in some instances by an extraordinary amount. Same is true if home values in your neighborhood increase due to renovations or rebuilds. This creates winners and losers with yearly tax assessments. Even though we kept our town’s budget to an increase of 2% or less these past two years, some saw significant tax increases due to the algorithm the town is forced to use by the state to complete the assessments. Of course, others saw a decrease, as the total amount raised by taxes went up only to cover the overall budget.
The algorithm, a fancy word for the formula, works in a way that is clear to almost no one outside of the Department of Revenue.
This is especially difficult on families and seniors on a budget. I have witnessed multiple instances where homes’ assessed values climbed 15% - 30% or more in a single year, just because of the algorithm’s calculation of its increased value. For those on a fixed budget, this can make the difference between being able to stay in your home and being forced to sell due to the tax burden.
Simply put, there should be a cap on the amount of increase an unrenovated home should be subject to. This would give each homeowner better predictability when the tax bill comes in.
Look, I studied economics, specifically advanced microeconomic theory, and am quite good at math. Advanced math. If I win this thing, I plan on doing a deep dive into how this algorithm works, and how we can improve it to keep all of our residents in our homes. On a personal note, this is how I work. Look for a good idea from one initiative. See how it fits in a larger context.
Some of the 2,000 tulips I planted last fall in my yard. Yeah, I know I need to weed the garden. I've been kinda busy.
Aging in Place in the Berkshires
We'd all like to live out our lives in our homes. My parents were able to do just that. My mom was an avid reader, often finishing a book a day when it was lighthearted fare. She left us after suffering a stroke on our front porch in Stockbridge; My dad was more into the outdoors and especially enjoyed gardening. He died at home after suffering a heart attack in the backyard. I take some comfort in knowing they were able to live wonderful lives right here in the Berkshires right up until the end. For some of us, we'll lose the option to stay at home.
This is an area where policies and legislative efforts matter. Massachusetts has implemented various legislative strategies to support aging in place for older adults, but more work must be done.
Federal Older Americans Act and State Plan on Aging
Did you know Massachusetts has a State Plan on Aging that outlines the state's approach to the Older Americans Act, which provides community-based services to allow seniors to live independently. The plan includes:
- Delivering home care, nutrition, caregiver support, behavioral health, and other services through regional Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs).
- Funding and coordinating programs like elder mental health outreach teams, peer counseling, and care management to support aging in the community.
- Setting objectives to strengthen the aging services workforce, improve service delivery, enhance emergency preparedness, and address social determinants of health.
Age-Friendly Massachusetts Initiative
As part of the AARP Age-Friendly Network, Massachusetts released an Age-Friendly Action Plan defining goals across eight domains:
- Outdoor Spaces and Buildings
- Transportation
- Housing
- Social Participation
- Respect and Social Inclusion
- Civic Participation and Employment
- Communication and Information
- Community and Health Services
Supportive Housing and Healthcare Legislation
For some of us, staying at home won’t be an option. There are two bills that I strongly support before the Legislature to support individuals who will need more care.
Bill S.367 will increase awareness and access to the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) model that provides comprehensive medical and social services to nursing home-eligible seniors in a community setting.
Bill S.2683 seeks to strengthen public health infrastructure and services for those aging with Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
Finally, with our aging communities, for those who are otherwise well but for whatever reason need to downsize, we simply must prioritize senior housing within our hometowns. Just because someone has to give up their home of decades shouldn't mean they have to give up their hometown.
We all aren't spring chickens, like these at a friend's Berkshire farm.
Ambulance/EMS Challenges in the Berkshires
Kudos to Rep. Smitty Pignatelli for convening the latest meeting of his regional EMS task force yesterday at Lenox Town Hall. With a median age of nearly 50 for Berkshire County (compared to 39 for the state), including a quarter of our residents who are 65 or older, this creates added urgency for these challenges.
The rural nature of the Berkshires creates obstacles for EMS that may not be fully appreciated by lawmakers from more urban and suburban areas of Massachusetts. These challenges include longer transport distances, lower population densities, and difficulties recruiting, absorbing the cost in town budgets, and retaining staff.
Workforce Shortages
The region faces a significant shortage of trained paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs), making it difficult for ambulance services to adequately staff operations. This was a significant topic of conversation at yesterday's session, including some novel initiatives by County leaders and service providers.
Financial Struggles
Several ambulance services, particularly non-profit providers, are grappling with substantial financial deficits due to a combination of factors:
- High staffing costs.
- Low reimbursement rates from insurers, including Medicare and Medicaid, cover a large portion of patients (45%).
These financial pressures have put some longstanding services at risk of shutting down operations entirely unless the towns step up their financial support.
Access and Response Time Concerns
There are growing concerns about "ambulance deserts" in parts of Berkshire County, where towns do not have their own dedicated ambulance service and rely on surrounding communities. This dependence on regional coverage raises worries about longer response times, especially in the less dense areas. In Stockbridge, we recently retained a consultant to map average response times. The results were frankly troubling, which will inform the town's prioritization of the importance of investing in EMS.
Need for Regionalization
Given the high costs of operating standalone ambulance services and ensuring the operation of other EMS, there is increasing recognition that regionalization may be necessary to maintain essential emergency coverage. Smitty and others point out the necessity of regionalizing. It's a tough political challenge, but we must continue to tackle it.
We're renovating Old Town Hall in Stockbridge. As the CFO of the nonprofit that purchased the building, I get to work with the Construction team on the $8 million effort.
Closing Request
Thank you so much for being part of this journey! If you're excited about our campaign and want to help, there are a few easy ways to get involved. You can share our message with your neighbors, volunteer with us, or donate — every little bit helps us reach more people.
Check out our website at patrickwhiteberkshires.com for more details on how to get involved or make a donation. Every action helps us to win.
Daffodil and Tulip season at Naumkeag.
Want to Learn More?
Please consider supporting my candidacy to represent you in the State House. To learn more, visit https://www.patrickwhiteberkshires.com
You can donate by clicking here:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/patrick-3rd
Or you can mail a check to:
Patrick Thomas White Committee
81 Hawthorne Street
Lenox, MA 01240
I've reached about 35% of my goal. Thanks for any help you can provide. I am in it to win it and am running to effect real change. I'd love to have your support.
Warmly,
Patrick White
PS: You can find detailed positions on my campaign website:
https://www.patrickwhiteberkshires.com
Truckin'.
Previous Notes
Week ending 4/26/2024
Swinging for the Fences. read more
Week ending 4/19/2024
Housing - Trails - Internet - Healthcare - Singing Praise. read more
Week ending 4/12/2024
Dog Day Afternoons. read more
Week ending 4/5/2024
Remembering Searles Middle School. read more
Week ending 3/29/2024
It's all about the jobs. read more
Week ending 3/22/2024
Snow - Taxes - Childcare - Grants - School Play read more
Week ending 3/15/2024
Economic development, family farms, why just water? read more
Week ending 3/8/2024
Affordable housing, Climate Advisory Board, Multicultural Bridge, economic development, ROR filing. read more
Week ending 3/1/2024
West Stockbridge rent control brief, PCB radio interview, cancer and the river, reducing property taxes. read more
|