Our mission
Transparency and fairness in local government practices
“The same prudence which in private life would forbid our paying our own money for unexplained projects, forbids it in the dispensation of the public monies.”– Thomas Jefferson
There are many town residents who dread April 1st and October 1st which are the dates property tax is due at the town hall. I have spoken to many of them who feel they are powerless to stop the wasteful spending and continuing stupidity that is on display from the Town Administration. There is a total lack of critical thinking. I speak for these financially disadvantaged citizens. They are being bled of their life’s blood in many cases. A cruel form of slavery. No other way to describe it. The folks of the Town Administration, not the workers at the town hall, could care less about the struggles of young people of lower income or retired citizens living on social security trying to maintain their homes.
It’s Time For You to Fight Back!
Annual Town Meeting Monday May 5th
Vote Down Article 4 Omnibus Budget
My name is Brian Bordner and I am a long time resident and business owner in Northfield. Many of you know me for my activism bring to light the corrupt actions of the towns administration and their foolishness in spending and appropriating tax revenues. I have been involved in many actions to right the wrongs of local governments and have spoke quite often at annual town meetings. Love it or hate it my opinions have made a positive difference for the people who feel victimized by our town administration.
The Northfield Taxpayers Protection Association was formed by a group of local business owners in 2009 who were concerned about the excess taxation of the residents of Northfield. The consensus was that there was a need for an alternative group to enter with discussion of a more financially conservative view of what we are taxed and why.
ARE YOU BEING OVER TAXED BY NORTHFIELD?
Let’s start with the proof!!!
July 1, 2019 $238,364.00 in the General Fund “free cash”
July 1, 2020 $635,378.00 in the General Fund “free cash”
July 1, 2021 $791,179.00 in the General Fund “free cash”
July 1, 2022 $396,023.00 in the General Fund “free cash”
July 1, 2023 $928,634.00 in the General Fund “free cash”
July 1, 2023 $1,057,106.00 in “free cash”(Year 2024)
Did you know that 20 to 25 years ago the town operated on zero free cash?
What town of 2,900 people now has over a million dollars of free cash? Why were we taxed this much?
Belchertown has 13,000 people and a million in free cash?
Don’t forget we have 2 MILLION in cash stashed in another account for a Public Safety Complex expense burning a hole in their pockets.
What town of 2,900 people has 3 million dollars of free cash? Why were we taxed this much?
Add in another MILLION lost for paying off the OPM costs on the failed Public Safety Building proposal last year.
Here is what NOT TO DO!
Don’t complain to the assessor’s office or tax collector’s offices.
They just perform the functions to operate their duties.
There is only one way to stop this extortion of money from the taxpayers which is driven by the Finance Committee and the Town Administration.
You have to go to annual Town Meeting on Monday May 5th at PVRS
and VOTE DOWN Article 4 THE OMNIBUS BUDGET!
That’s your only option.
Last year I convinced 10% of the voters to vote against the Omnibus Budget. Let’s do 51% this year!
“Liars figure but the figures don’t lie”
I asked a question at last year’s annual town meeting.
“What kind of town administration raises property values an average of 30% over the last two years and then increases the tax rate during the time of the greatest inflation in the past 40 years?”
No one on the select board even tried to answer the question. Normally they are falling all over each other to come up with some string of dodging explanation.
They raise the evaluations but didn’t lower the tax rate?
We have always been told not to get too concerned about the evaluations of our property because if the evaluation goes up, the tax rate goes down to match spending on budgets. That was their convenient to the taxpayer.
2025 was the scheduled year for property tax valuations. This is done every 5 years.
The administration deemed 2022 and 2023 “interim” evaluation years to take advantage of the increase in property values after the Covid 19 years.
Evaluations went up roughly 30% over those two years on most of property but the rate didn’t go down.
Be careful what you believe
“We fought like hell to keep the taxes down but the State made us raise property taxes”
Imagine hearing such a statement. How is that possible?
What’s the truth?
I went into the town hall to go to the Town Clerk’s office to file some paperwork in early October 2024. That’s when Assistant Town Clerk Dan Campbell (and Chairman of the Finance Committee) was running the office that morning.
There was an unsolicited conversation I had with Dan about our property taxes. Twice he told me that the town hall “fought like hell to keep taxes down but the state (Massachusetts Department of Revenue) made us raise them”. During the conversation he actually said it twice.
I guess he was trying to make his point.
At the time I didn’t think much about it.
Then I went to a meeting in early November at the Centennial House to talk about an article on the November Special Town Meeting. At the meeting in front of a group of citizens that same comment was made.
“We fought to keep property taxes down but the State made us raise them”.
Only this time it was said by Tammy Pellitier who is the town hall janitor. I asked myself what does the town hall janitor have to do with taxes?
That’s when my B/S radar went off. How do I prove if this is the truth or is it just self promoting talking points?
So I did a FOIA request to the Northfield Town Clerk for every piece of correspondence between the assessor’s office and the Massachusetts Department of Revenue for the four previous years.
160 pages and no mention of the state ever demanding anything of the Assessor’s Office and no fighting the tax evaluations or rate in reply.
Then I did a FOIA request for every correspondence between the Town Administrator and the Department of Revenue for the same four years. It cost me a lot of money both times.
245 pages and no mention of the state ever demanding anything of the Town Administrator’s Office and no fighting the tax evaluations or rate in reply.
That statement is false and I invite the Town Administration to prove otherwise.
If I’m wrong I will gladly publish the documents of how the Town Hall fought the Department of Revenue against tax increases.
The truth is the raise in taxes was the result of new “interim” property tax evaluation and a higher tax rate
initiated by the Town Administration.
There is a mechanism for the town administration to contest evaluations to the Department of Revenue.
The Bureau of Local Assessment completes a Equalized Valuation Program representing the full and fair cash value of all taxable property for each municipality.
There are informal hearings for towns to question their EQV (valuations). If the town administration remains dissatisfied then they can file an appeal at the Appellate Tax Board (ATB).
Northfield has never filed any appeals to the Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board.
Go to the Annual Town Meeting on Monday May 5th
VOTE DOWN ARTICLE 4 THE OMNIBUS BUDGET
Why are the taxpayers so upset with the Town Administration?
In the past five years, there has been a growing frustration among taxpayers regarding the Town Administration’s actions. Many feel that the administration operates with a disregard for the electorate’s wishes. This dissatisfaction is evident in recent proposals and decisions, particularly those presented at Town Meetings and Special Town Meetings. Let’s delve into the issues that have led to this discontent.
The Failed Public Safety Complex Proposal
One prominent example is the attempt to build a $20+ million Public Safety Complex. This proposal, which ultimately failed, was spearheaded by a board tasked with designing and securing land for the facility. Notably, this board failed to learn from a similar failed project a decade earlier. The previous attempt failed largely because the proposal did not account for the cost of the bond load. This lack of transparency was a critical issue that was evidently ignored in the new proposal.
Despite this, some members of the panel seemed driven by the desire to create a “legacy” at taxpayers’ expense. Two panel members were dismissed for offering feedback that conflicted with the prevailing agenda, further highlighting the administration’s disregard for taxpayer input. Additionally, an unsuitable plot of land was purchased at three to four times its actual value, raising questions about the decision-making process.
The panel then spent nearly a million dollars on a building design that failed to meet the wetlands requirements and the town’s needs. Notably, the design did not even accommodate all of the town’s fire trucks. Moreover, the cost presented to the town did not include the bond load, replicating the mistake of the previous project.
Lack of Transparency and Respect
At the Special Town Meeting, the presentation on the project’s scope was conducted by the fire chief, allowing for taxpayer questions. However, the town administrator presented the cost without allowing any questions from the public, which many perceived as a significant disrespect to the taxpayers.
Tensions escalated when a select board member verbally attacked a citizen for their comments, violating the administration’s own Code of Civil Conduct. Fortunately, the Town Moderator intervened to address this breach.
Further dissatisfaction was fueled by the fact that, despite a lengthy five-hour Special Town Meeting where it became clear the project was likely to be rejected, a select board member’s prolonged plea to the audience only added to the frustration. To make matters worse, although the meeting was filmed, a “technical” issue resulted in the footage being unavailable, depriving taxpayers of a complete record of the proceedings.
Accountability and Legacy Issues
The culmination of these issues has led to significant taxpayer frustration. There has been no accountability for the failed million-dollar plans, no dismissals for those responsible, and no recognition of the public’s dissatisfaction. The lack of accountability and transparency has left citizens feeling disillusioned and angry with the Town Administration.
In summary, the taxpayers’ frustration stems from a series of missteps and a perceived disregard for their concerns, which has fueled a broader sense of disrespect and dissatisfaction with the Town Administration.
HIGH TAXES WON’T LET YOU LIVE OR RETIRE IN NORTHFIELD IN THE FUTURE
In 2023 Massachusetts lost 8% of the population to Tax Flight
If you combine all the taxes that the state of Massachusetts along with the property taxes the town of Northfield now charges, this is not a friendly place for young families or retirees.
As of August 2023 the average monthly benefit from Social Security is $1,750 or $21,000 annually.
In New Hampshire there no tax on retirement, 401K or pension income.
NH has no sales tax but does tax on interest and dividend income. Mass has a 6.25% state sales tax.
Mass has a 5% state income tax. NH does not.
Wallet Hub gave NH a overall best state to retire in at #7 with affordability rating at #28. Mass is rated #44 on affordability, or 6th worst in the country.
According to Nerd Wallet, 40% of people between the ages of 55 to 64 have NO RETIREMENT SAVINGS! Those who do have an average of $71,168.
Wallet Hub rates Mass as the state at #47 with the highest adjusted cost of living (or 3rd worst).
Yahoo Finance finds you will need $1,120,304 of retirement savings in Mass.
The annual cost of living is $64,234. Annual cost of living after Social Security income is $44,812.
NH retirement savings requirement is $821,746. Annual cost of living is $52,289 and $32,747 after Social Security income.
Add all this taxation along with Northfield property tax and it’s a easy decision to stand up to the taxation culture at the Town Hall.
2025 operating budget is 13,099,409 for the town of Northfield. 2024 budget was $11,766,226.95. That is an increase of 11 percent.
2025 budget of 13,099,409 is for roughly 2900 RESIDENTS. That is $4,517 for every man, woman and child listed as a resident. Not all residents own property. Some rent, putting a higher burden on land owners.
Over 50% of land in Northfield is tax exempt. Northfield has two large tracts of state forrest.
There is large amount of property that has religious, farming and land use exemptions.
A recent article in Mass Live stated Northfield is projected to lose 48% of it’s population by the year 2100. That is rated #1 in towns in Mass.
Liars figure but the figures don’t lie
Not just NIMBY but a hate for business and commerce
When I grew up in Northfield in the 1960’s there was all sorts of business activity. Residents didn’t have to travel far to get the goods and services they needed to survive. There was a IGA Food Mart which still exists. Next to the Food Mart was a pharmacy and a barber shop.
We had multiple gas stations in Northfield. Barnes Sunoco is West Northfield. Podolinskis Gulf on main street. Thompsons Texaco on north main street as well. There was Sandri Sunoco and Morgan’s Mobile station on south main street.
Northfield even had a gas station at the Ford dealership. That’s right! You didn’t have to leave town to buy a car. There was also Jordon’s used car dealership at north main street. Rua’s restaurant was iconic meeting place. We had a television repair store in the center of town.
Not much of that 1960’s business infrastructure is left. So what happened?
What economic conditions changed that caused the closure of these establishments?
It was the introduction of new residents coming to Northfield and taking positions in town boards. A sense of community connection to business was supplemented by activist negativity and a love of harmful regulations. The dialog changed so board members and positions in the town hall would find any road block to stop any positive development at all.
It is interesting that there was a recent survey about business development in the town of Northfield. Still the “Not In My Back Yard” sentiment is prevalent.
76% of respondents wanted to see increased business development located “elsewhere in town”. Where is that?
Economic development should be focused on the creation of jobs with healthy incomes.
The best example of Northfield Negative was when David and Tim Rice went to sell their 131 network of Mobile station to Erving of Canada. The town of Northfield Zoning Board had previously gave him such a hard time about wanting to upgrade the Northfield Mobile prior to the sale that he had endured enough. He sold 130 of the Mobile stations and for a tax write off he donated the Northfield site to a religious organization, taking it off the tax roles. A big middle finger to the town of Northfield.
The same hate of business updating happened to Sandri Sunoco on Main Street. The town boards gave them grief about putting up a protective awning.
They just said to hell with Northfield and closed. Now you can get Dunkin’ Donuts at Sunoco in Bernardston.
On May 1st of 2024 there will be a group of well intention consultants have a meeting at the Northfield Town Hall to discuss economic development. NEWS FLASH. Don’t waist you time. The town of Northfield just raised property taxes 30% on two of the oldest continuously operating businesses. No entrepreneur in their right mind would locate a business here now.
Kevin McCarthy of the TV show Shark Tank has stated that Massachusetts is one of the three states that he would NOT recommend locating a business in.
Put Northfield’s hatred of business on top of that and what is the outcome?
Both Bernardston, Hinsdale and Winchester have the wide range of businesses that Northfield used to enjoy. Northfield is surrounded by such commerce and simply will and cannot compete with existing operations.
Soon to add insult to injury a Mobile station will be opening the largest convenience stores in the New England with separate gasoline and diesel fueling decks. A deli and a place to eat with a outside deck. The land borders the town line of Northfield…. in tax free New Hampshire. No gasoline tax revenue for Massachusetts and no property tax revenue for Northfield.
Have Questions?
How can I get involved?
Make a commitment to attend the annual town meeting and vote down excessive taxation articles. Join the debate.
Who in the town should I contact with property tax concerns?
Contact the town tax assessor’s office
What if my tax bill went up significantly?
You can apply for an abatement to the board of assessors.
Looking for more information or if you want to get involved?
Contact us through the button below or through our contact page