State DOR OKs Saugus’ 2013 tax rate

SAUGUS – The Town of Saugus has been certified for a little over $1 million in free cash for 2013, according to a spokesperson for the Mass. Department of Revenue (DOR).Daniel Bertrand, Director of Communications and Policy for the DOR, said Saugus “has met the financial requirements prescribed by DOR for Fiscal Year 2013″ which resulted in the DOR approving the town tax rate and certifying $1,047,066 in free cash, as of Dec. 3.”We’ll continue to work closely with the town going forward to provide support and direction as needed,” said Bertrand.Bertrand said the DOR also certified $197,554 for the town’s water enterprise fund and $1,137,635 for its sewer enterprise fund.Saugus was certified for $1.3 million in free cash last year and posted a $416,666 deficit in free cash the year before. Free cash is the total available unrestricted funds left over from the previous year’s operating budget.At a selectmen meeting on Nov. 20, Deputy Assessor Ronald Keohan said residential tax rates will be set at $11.28 next year while commercial rates will be set at $24.90. This will see the projected 2013 average single-family tax bill rise around $83 to $3,671.At Tuesday night’s selectmen meeting, selectman Debra Panetta praised Town Manager Scott Crabtree for getting the tax rate set so early, calling it a “huge accomplishment.””To think about where we were last December to this December, I congratulate you and your staff,” said Panetta.On Wednesday, selectman Stephen Horlick said Dec. 3 is the earliest the town has set its tax rate.”This is the earliest in the last eight or nine years we set a tax rate because of everything we did on the Special Town Meeting to move those small funds around and get everything prepared early to set the tax rate,” said Horlick. “Normally we’ve set it around the end of December but a couple of times we didn’t set the tax rate until after the first of the year. This is the way it should be done all along. We put together a realistic budget.”Horlick said he likes the job Crabtree is doing so far as Town Manager. He took over as manager in March amid a forensic audit that uncovered $1.4 million in improperly charged salaries and expenses.”I think it’s a lot smoother,” he said.Crabtree had stated in April and in May that there would be no free cash this year.Calls to Crabtree were not returned Wednesday.With the DOR closely watching Saugus over the last year, selectmen Vice Chairman Steve Castinetti said the “impetus to get it done quickly and right was there.””We fell into line a little bit more easily than we had in the past and consequently we set the tax rate early,” said Castinetti.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].