Wayland Select Board adopts $16.65 single tax rate, approves $1.68M in ARPA spending

WAYLAND -- December 5, 2022, Wayland maintains single tax rate at $16.65 and commits another $1.68 million in ARPA funds. The Select Board voted 4-0 Monday to keep a uniform rate, down $1.70 from $18.35, but rising values will push the average single-family tax bill up $572, with the average home now assessed at $958,400, a 14.31 percent jump. Director of Assessing Rob LaRue said total valuation climbed $613 million to roughly $4.8 billion, largely on Alta River's Edge, while the levy rises 3.97 percent to $80.2 million. Both a residential exemption and a small commercial exemption failed 0-4; Tom Fay said shifting onto commercial property would "send a message I think our board shouldn't send." Members separately approved $1.68 million in ARPA expenditures recommended by Fay and Carol Martin, including a $420,000 fire station generator, roughly $250,000 in fiber and AV work at the new Council on Aging, and $1 million toward engineering Wayland's permanent MWRA connection.