Special City Council 12-11-25

Thank you.

Thanks for watching!

Good evening. I'd like to call this special meeting of the Everett City Council to order. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.

Van Campen, Councilor Martins, We have eight members present.

Please join us in saluting the flag.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, amen.

I acknowledge that at our last attempt to have this meeting, we did have Councilors-elect Vivian Nguyen and Michelle Capone present. And we also have a birthday in the chambers. Happy birthday, Councilor Garcia. And we... And tonight, because we had to schedule the meeting last minute due to technical issues and the deadline, some of the councils had previous commitments and were not able to be present tonight. So Mr. Clerk, please read again the first item on the agenda.

Stephanie Martins as President. In order requesting approval of the adoption of a minimum residential factor, of 0.6% in setting the city's FY2026 tax rate. This item was first read at a special meeting on 11-24. Just so you know. And the public hearing was opened, never closed, so the public still have an opportunity to speak this evening for the public hearing.

Van Campen.

Madam President, thank you. Could we ask the Chief Assessor and the Board of Assessors, I believe they're going to come forward to make a presentation?

Second. We're just made and second to invite the members of the Board of Assessors. All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed? The ayes have it. Good evening and thank you for appearing again.

So I believe we're starting the presentation first.

We also have our CFO, Mr. Dimas, with us. And then we're going to have the public hearing on it. So, Mr. Dimas. Whoever would like to start.

Thank you. Good evening, Councillors. Thank you for being here and making this a priority today. It's of utmost importance, as you know. Let's get started.

I'd just like to introduce the people that I hear from the assessor's office. I'm Ron Cohan. I'm the Chairman of the Board of Assessors. Most of you know me. Ben Pena, he is the new assessor, Director of Assessing. We have Jeff D'Angelo, who is the new Assistant Assessor. And we have Board Member Frank Parker with us tonight.

Thank you, Ron. The purpose of this classification hearings, as you know, is to allow a shift in the tax burden between property classes from the residential to the commercial, industrial, and personal property. The City Council, you guys, with the approval of the Mayor, which has been certified by the Commissioner of Revenue to be the assessing property, a full and fair cash valuation shall annually... first determined the percentage of the local tax levy to be borne by each class of real property as defined in Section 2A of Chapter 59 on personal property for the next fiscal year. This does not change the total tax levy for the community. It simply determines the share of the levy to be borne by each class. Once properties have been classified and certified, the City Council holds this meeting.

The Board of Assessors, us, will present the information to the City Council who then vote whether to establish different rates or to tax all classes of property at the same rate. The City Council votes on two different issues today. One is selecting the minimum residential factor in order to shift the maximum allowable percentage of the levy onto commercial, industrial, and personal property classes, and also for the adoption of the residential exemption. Approximately 30% of cities in the state of Massachusetts have split rates. If Everett chooses a single red, it will be $15.92 per thousand for FY26. If Everett adopts a split rate, the maximum shift of 1.75, this will reduce the tax burden of the residential properties,

from 76% to 58% of the tax levy and increase the CIP, commercial industrial personal property shares from 24 to 42. and as you may know, there's four classes of property, residential, commercial, industrial and personal property. Let's just explain what the different terms are. The levy limit is the maximum amount the city can levy each year. The levy limit can grow each year by two and a half of the prior year's levy, plus any growth and proposition two and a half overrides. When the City Council signs the LA-5, hopefully after tonight, form after the classification hearing, they also acknowledge that they have been advised of any excess living capacity for the fiscal year.

The maximum allowable levy, this is the levy limit plus depth exclusions, other allowable adjustments. The override capacity is the difference between the levy limit and the levy ceiling. The levy for FY26 approved budget is $133,950,189. The FY25 approved budget levy was $117,262,518. and were able to raise up to the levy limit, which is $191,551,198. This leaves an excess level capacity of a little over 57, almost 58 million dollars. Again, this year the majority of the increase in growth in the tax base was for the resolve of the new construction multifamily and various personal properties.

and this is just the calculation for the 2026 tax levy limit. We'll start with the fiscal year 2025 levy limit of a little over $183 million plus the 2.5% levy increase. Plus new growth gave us a total levy limit of $191,551,198 with a ceiling of $232,582,000. and we're able to capture or we budget for $133,950,189. This is just an example of the shift going from what the shift would do to the tax rate if we adopted today. And this is just an example of

residential exemption versus no residential exemption so the first section is properties with the residential exemption their tax bill will increase for a condo to single family, two families, and three families, roughly $400 to $1,100. The average. Again, that doesn't mean that every single property that's their increase is just the average because it also depends what happened with the property. and then the other section is without the residential exemption. So as you can see, there's a benefit to the residential exemption versus not having it. And this is just the commercial, industrial, personal property impact on the tax rate for a convenience fast forward warehouse. So that will be the increase for them from FY25 to FY26.

You're looking at between $1,900 to up to $12,000 for increase on average again. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 59, Section 5C, allows up to 35% discount on the average residential value to owners occupied residential exemptions. This excludes any vacant land or properties not occupied as a primary residence by the owner. And here in Everett, we have a 25%. and this is just the calculation for how we get to the residential exemption. So as the overall value of the property, it never increases, so does the residential exemption. This is also just the calculations for basically getting to the tax rate with the residential exemption.

And that gives us a tax rate of $1,262 for residential. and it's $25.20 for the commercial properties. So again, two walls are needed tonight. One for the minimum residential factor of 0.7743 1, 2, and a 25 residential exemption as well. Thank you.

This time, Councilor Matewsky.

The residential exemption is now, is it 20% or 25? It is 25. Well, Councilman DiPierro had introduced a resolution. I know other cities have it to a 35%.

There are 18 communities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that have adopted the residential exemption. And thanks to the City of Austin, They push the legislation to up it to 35%. There are only two communities of the 18 that go to 35%.

I'm sorry, your microphone is off.

Sorry. If you could repeat that again, I'm sorry. In those cities, Malden, I believe. Is it Malden? Malden gets it. I don't know if they're at 35% off the top. Oh, you don't know the two cities. Okay.

I know. Boston is one of them.

Boston.

So we could go to 30 technically.

Yeah, up to 35. It could be anything up to 35. Up to 35, okay.

I was just wondering... Does that affect these numbers that we're seeing? If you change that, yes, it would.

And the commercial, industrial? Commercial, industrial won't change at all. Their tax rate's going to stay 25-20 no matter what you do here tonight. if you change the percentage of the residential Your tax rate, and I'm going to use round numbers so I don't confuse anybody with everything we've got here. If the residential properties all raised $10 million from property taxes... You adopt at the 25% and you adopted at 35%. The residential portion still must raise $10 million. So therefore, your tax rate's going to go up, but You still will have the same $204,000 off your value, your final value for your taxes.

So non-homeowners don't reside in their property.

They don't get, whatever their value is, that's what they pay the higher tax rate on.

Now, when does that happen? Could we vote on that tonight? Yes. We could vote to go up to 35 or 30?

You could, but it would change everything. It would change everything and we'll have to have... Could we do that at a later date?

You could...

My personal thing, I would not recommend changing it this year. Okay. Only because we have to get the bills printed, and if we don't get the bills out... before January 1st, that means it's a third quarter preliminary bill, which means nobody has to pay their taxes till May 1st. Okay. But if it's something you... you wanted to do next year or look at doing next year, I would suggest is... bring it to the Board of Assessors and we can work on it early.

So that discussion will be down the road. I think that I am in favor of that. for people that actually live in Everett, that own a home, take pride in their property, et cetera, et cetera, and I hope the new mayor I'm not sure how he feels about it, but I will definitely vote for at least 30% in another year at the next go-around on this. But I want to thank you gentlemen for the presentation. Thank you.

Councilor DiPierro.

Thank you. And Mr. Cohan summarized that correctly. You know, the non-owner occupied homes, so those that own multi-families or investment properties would pick up the remainder of that burden. And until we really understand what that impact would be on them, I agree with Mr. Cohan that this is something that we should look at towards next tax rate setting to really get a full grasp on the implications of it. Thank you.

Any, Councilor Pietrantonio?

Who picked the 25%? How'd you come up with that number? Let me rephrase that. How'd you come up with that number?

We did it. At one point, you guys voted on it, and it was approved for the state. Okay, we did.

Okay. So just looking at the residential summary here, 1.75%. I'm sure I understand this. So just take a single family. So the difference would be 605. Like, just to say, 605 compared to 964, that's because of the 25% that the resident owned and occupied is gaining.

Yes. Correct? So that will be their increase. With the residential exemption on average.

Would be $605 a year.

A year.

Okay.

More than previous. If I can interject there, if I may, that's $605 more than last year. You're still going to get... $2,600 off this year's assessment tax bill.

So, but this 605 is... Difference between this year and last year. And that's with the value of the property staying the same.

No. What this is... On this chart you're looking at, in FY25, that was the average assessed value for condominiums, single families, two families, and three families in 2025. If you come over... Two columns to FY26 value. Those are the average assessed values of all condos, single families, two families, and three families. it wouldn't be giving you a fair difference if I used the same for each year.

But so the assessed value from 25 to 26 did go up slightly. Yes. It did go up. Yes. That's what my question was. So it did go up. The assessed value did go up from 25 to 26. Is there any way we can... I know we... I like that 25% discount for the owner-occupied, but we couldn't set a rate for non... owner-occupied houses, units we couldn't set a separate rate for them.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts in our illustrious Senate and House and Senate, they pass the laws. I happen to be on the legislative committee for the Mass Assessors Association and we've tried that in the past and they won't do it. You want to applaud somebody who buys a piece of property, lives in it, and takes care of it versus, and I know it's going to sound terrible, somebody who buys a piece of property but doesn't live in it.

And doesn't take care of it.

Correct.

I was trying to be diplomatic. Well, it's only just the truth, though, so I mean... And condos are considered, they get the 25% discount too on any condo.

Yes.

If you look at page...

On one of the pages, it will tell you $204,651. That's the 25% that comes off. Your value if you own and occupy. So, for the sake of argument, let's use the $204,000. Your houses are valued at a million dollars. You'd be paying property taxes on $800,000.

So the residential exemption comes off as a reduction of value versus a reduction in taxes. So we reduce your value so you pay less taxes.

Okay, so let me bring up this scenario. I buy a condo, it's under my name, and I rent it out. How do we, what mechanism do we have in place so that doesn't happen?

Well, the deeds... So whenever there's a transfer, if you bought the property, we know you own it. Then if you come in to apply for the residential exemption, there's a few things we require. One is your MAS ID. to show that you left there the property and a utility bill saying that you left in the property as well.

Okay. To me that seems hard to track that we're a condo. If I buy a condo and I rent it out and I come up and get the discount.

It's a very difficult thing to track.

Yes. and I... I'm not saying you guys are not doing your job.

It's difficult. It's a nightmare. And I will share with this board I've... Over the past month and a half, I've been reviewing all... the properties in Everett. And there's probably 1,200 people that could qualify that don't get it because they haven't come up to see us.

Well, don't let that out. Too late. All right. All right. Thank you, guys.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam President. My question was going to be to have you explain the owner-occupied resident discount, but you kind of just did that. They have to come up and see you. How are we advertising residents?

I know this came up last year because BJ specifically told me this is something that you have to do. So I started as soon as he told me I started working on a dissemination packet for the city. I did it in English and then I got in touch with the DEI director who then put me in touch with The Catholic Charities to translate it to different languages from Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese, Spanish, Portuguese. and then from that I work with ECTV to make sure we put it out before the tax bills were now and then periodically every quarter or so before the bills go out to make sure that people know that this is something they could potentially apply and get. After that, I noticed there was just a lot of calls and people coming in. And a lot of the calls were from people that were already getting it. They wasn't sure if they were.

And we also put it, I believe it was ECTV and Facebook and the website.

Perfect. So the advertising helped.

Yeah.

Great. Thank you. Councilor Rogers.

Thank you, Madam President. Thank you for coming up and explaining all this to us tonight. Just to continue on keeping residents informed, would it be possible to have a letter explaining this in the next tax bill that goes out?

I believe Member Parker is trying to be recognized if you'd like to invite him, but I'll let you answer the question.

Sorry. Unfortunately, The tax bills are not sent out by us. It's through Kelly and Ryan. We create the bills and all that, but it's sent to them, and then they print it in Malarau. It may be possible to then contact them and say, hey, can we add this to it? But I don't know what the cost to that will be. I know they do all that. But it's something that we can inquire.

Board Member Parker had something he wanted to share on it.

Mr. Parker, all in favor? Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. Good evening, Mr. Parker.

Thank you. So far as the tax bill goes, there's language on the tax bill that basically says... you have a right to an exemption or an abatement. So there's language on the actual bill itself and all the exemptions are listed on the city website under the assessor's office. Whether it's for seniors, veterans, or this one here. So there is some language out there. But I'm sure a lot of you, being a campaign year, people complain about taxes. The first thing you've got to ask them is, are you getting a residential tax exemption? And you'll find that a lot of the people that were justifying and complaining aren't. I will say this for people that moving forward that do apply and get the exemption it's not retroactive it's only moving forward so if you hold your home for 20 years you know you're not going to get it back. Thank you.

Thank you. So perhaps my recommendation more to this body would be that we maybe look into ways of keeping residents more informed about this exemption. And then my other sort of concern here on page 10 where it sort of breaks down the residential summary tax break. I'm thinking about real world scenarios and I know that there's a lot of three family homes in Everett that essentially are slumlords. The owner is nowhere to be found. They don't care. The property is run down. and while the residential tax break makes sense for families that are living in their home or maybe two family houses, when it gets into these three families, I'm really thinking about this $1,500 Who is going to be paying that?

It's going to be those people that are already sort of victims of a housing crisis to begin with. I don't really think that you have the resolution for that, but it's just something that comes to mind when I think about how this really breaks down in reality. And for me, it makes sense that we have it for residential properties. but I think that that tax break at the three-family, it really, without having it the same for all three families, kind of, can be detrimental to the resident that is a victim to these high costs of rent because it's just going to get trickled down and that ends up being $500 a year per family. So it's just something that, again, we maybe have to think outside of the box to resolve, because $500 per family is a lot. That's $50 a month, and that's how it's going to break down.

You have to keep in mind that by state law, we can't do that.

Okay.

it's crystal clear that that's the way the way we're doing it is the way it can be done there's no no wiggle room as we might say yeah I appreciate that and I know

I know you have all done your due diligence in making this as beneficial as possible, so I really appreciate all that. But I do think just as... and maybe our new mayor, we have to think about creative ways outside of the box to make renting more reasonable for families that are struggling in Everett.

And that's it. Thank you.

Thank you, thank you for coming here tonight again. We appreciate that. As far as letting the community or homeowners know about the tax exempt, I think this is something that we've spoken about many times here, that we would like your office to send a simple letter. asking homeowners to stop by or even send letters to people that you notice in your system that don't have it, asking them to come by to sign up for it. I think it's something very simple that we could send to people.

I think Ron is actually finishing up on a report that we created that potentially identifies around 1,200 additional people that may qualify.

Right now, about 50% of the residential homeowners get it. There's about 1,200 that I've been able, approximately, that I've been able to identify possibly could get it. The problem being is where the budget is already set, I can't dump 1,200 pieces on the city. We need you to mail these.

We can find the money at City Hall. I'm just pointing the letter. Informing homeowners how they can save more money on their property tax. I think that's very little to ask for.

I understand that. Just one thing to keep in mind is if it's 1,200 parcels at $2,600. That's all money that's going to be coming out of overlay. And let's say if everybody come in at the same time to get it, which will pretty much drain the overlay and leave no money for abatements and other stuff. So I get it, they do need to come in, but I probably don't advise everyone to come in at the same time.

But can we agree that we need to send a letter?

Yes, we're working on that. Once Ron gets this report done, I will send letters to those people that we know may qualify for it.

Thank you. The other question is can you explain to us the difference in these numbers from the sheet that we got on Monday? to the totally different sheet that we got today. Can we explain the difference to the public so they understand?

The difference is on Monday's sheet, the tax rate was $12.73. and when we were dealing with the state we found an error in their calculation this is again there's only 18 communities that use this so they found it and we've corrected it and it brought the tax rate down to $12.62. That's where those figures have come down.

So in a nutshell, it was a blessing that this happened. because we were able to, or the state was able to find that there was an error and therefore reduce the tax rate by 11 cents.

And my last question is, do you have a time frame when the letter will be going out? Two months, three months.

It won't be before the first of the year for sure. And I don't know.

It all depends on the change.

A month, two months.

I think, well, right now it's going to be abatement season. It's really busy. But I'll put it in my mailing that it's going to go out for the forms to list and 38 days to request so I can do a mass mailing for it. So that probably will be in two months. Thank you.

And they have until April 1st to apply for it.

Thank you.

Councilor Van Campen.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to just add a couple things to the conversation. I do hear Councilor El-Sidjiebouin's concern, and I know that I've been talking with the assessors and the finance division during this transition period about the folks that may be eligible for the residential exemption but aren't currently receiving it. So just to We will communicate out to the community anyone who is eligible. They'll be aware. will use our mail service, we'll use social media, we'll use our communications team to do that. So that will happen. And the other thing I wanted to mention more importantly was the... the question of affordability and the and the residential exemption what happens is as we go higher on the residential exemption my I'm not a Rogers, I think Councilor Rogers alluded to this, will go up in the non-owner occupied structures.

We are already working on in ordinance that we hope will help alleviate that to incentivize non-owner occupied landlords to incentivize them to rent at an affordable rate. So we're in the process of doing that and I'm sure that the assessors were trying to get my time recently and I apologize it hasn't been very free. but I'm sure we're going to work on other ways to try to find affordable options for folks who are living in those non-owner occupied structures in the community. So I just wanted to mention that publicly tonight too. Thank you for your work.

One last thing I'd like to mention that you all seem to be in favor of increasing the percentage at some point in time possibly. Well, when you increase the percentage, the tax rate will go up because, as I stated in the very beginning, if you're raising $10 million on the residential side, And now you're eliminating more. You still have to raise that $10 million amongst the residential.

So that increases. I'm sorry. I'm sorry just to find a comment on the residential exemption just for the public and for you guys the residential exemption will always show on the third quarter tax bill so there's going to be a section there under Land value, building value, total value, there's going to be a residential exemption value. So if they don't have it there on the third quarter bill, they're not getting it. So if they know they're not getting it, now they can see, they can inquire about it.

Pietrantonio.

My concern is, I know we're all concerned about the residents. What about the businesses? The CIP, so they're going up 18% because the residential is going down 18%. So the CIP properties are going to go from 24% to 42%. That's a hit for our businesses here in Everett. We're having a hard time keeping people in business now, and now this is what we're hitting them with another 18%. So can you explain how you feel that's going to hurt businesses?

Yes, sir. I'm sorry. The microphones are off again. Sorry, Mr. Cohen.

If we want to do something for the commercial, If you voted a flat tax rate across the board, not shifting to the commercial, everybody's tax rate would be $15.92. Everybody's.

That was 18%.

With the numbers on the values that we have, if you adopted a single tax rate versus shifting to the commercial, everybody's tax rate would be $15.92. So the residential, their tax rate would go from $12.63 to $15.92.

If we lower the commercial, obviously it's going to hit on the residential. I fully understand that. But I mean, that's a hit for the commercial property in the city, I think. The $6 million that we took out of free cash to help the tax rate, who picks that number? Am I wrong? Because it's six million. I got the right number first of all?

I believe so. Truthfully, I'm not sure because we don't deal with that. That's...

Well, I thought there was $6 million.

The CFO just said that the mayor makes that choice. Right. Mr. Demas just said that the mayor makes that decision.

Okay. So you guys don't know nothing about this. Okay. So if they don't know nothing about the $6 million, how do you guys adjust the tax rate?

We're given the figure. With the CFO and they all implement everything into the gateway system, which is the state's tracking of all the numbers for the tax rate. And it's in there. So we just calculate from that number.

Okay, so the $6 million is already calculated? Yes. Okay.

Not an additional...

Okay, and so the residents that want to get the tax break, they only can do it once a year, correct? Once a year. And what month is that?

Did you say April? January, technically January 1st till April 1st. You can apply for it. You can apply for it. For the exemption. Once you get it. Unless there's a change to your deed, you don't have to apply for it every year. Once you've applied for it, like I applied for mine the first time, and I get it every year automatically.

Is that effect like if you put a deed in a trust or anything like that?

So what I would suggest... Not to interrupt you. What I would highly suggest... anybody who's looking to put their property in a trust, make sure your attorney Grant you a life estate in the trust. Because if you've got the life estate in the trust, you'll still get all your exemptions. If it's not... Life is State.

Okay. Okay. All right. All right. I think that was my... Thank you, guys. Councilor Van Campen.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to answer one question Councilor Pietrantonio raised about the $6 million from free cash that's being applied to the tax levies. That's just giving us the ability to reduce the amount we are charging taxpayers when we set the calculation for the tax rate. Members may know last year We had I think released ten million dollars out of free cash and applied it to the tax levy so the number that's in front of you this evening essentially it's a compromise between the incoming administration and the current administration the mayor understands my position is I want to start to wean off of using free cash to apply to the tax levy so that number reflects that compromised during the transition period. Next year, it will actually be lower than that, but we can't do it all in one fell swoop. We've got to phase it out over a period of years, and that's what is reflected tonight in this request.

And if I may take an oath. Top of what you're just saying. If you looked at the page, you saw $133 million as the levy. This $6 million would make it $139 million. So, therefore, you'd be paying taxes on that extra money.

Just so I... Councilor Matewsky.

Thank you, Madam President. Councilor... Board Member Parker mentioned a seniors tax. Elderly. Is that on top of the 20%, 25%? What's that all? Just explain that part of it to me, please.

Basically, there's two exemptions. There's a residential exemption. There's a personal exemption. You could get two. You could get the residential plus one personal. So if you're elderly, 65 years or older, if there's income limits and asset limits, if you qualify, that takes off $1,000 off your tax bill as well. There's also a veteran exemption, which you guys voted to opt that, which has been done. So now it's taken off. It's been doubled plus CPI, so that's also available.

And if you're blind, I know that veterans have an exemption too?

Yes, they do.

Now, getting back to the seniors part of it. Sorry, excuse me, disabled veterans. Disabled, I'm sorry. A senior citizen gets the residential tax break and they have to be under a certain Income, is that it? Do you know what that is?

Currently, for a single person, it will be a little over $25,000. I believe it's $25,800. Married is a little over $35,000, so it's like $35,800. and assets, you know, basically your bank accounts in 401k for a single person can be more than $40,000 and for married $55,000.

Are we good? Thank you. I didn't know about that senior's exemption.

This honorable board, next year, if they chose, they could up those asset and income. also. These are governed by the state, but there's a law under Chapter 59 that allows you to increase. Because let's face it, The monies that the state is allowing you to do, it's poverty level. $25,000, I mean. It's not a lot.

No. And I think we'll have to visit that also. Thank you very much.

Alice.

Thank you, Madam President. Thank you for that information. That was very good information for the public. Once someone applies for the exam, is there someone in your office that looks at their records and say, oh, this person applied? qualifies for the additional 65 or older, or these are different applications that they have to apply for. So how do they know these are available?

Again, we have that on the website online so they can inquire. If they come in, I usually, if they come in for the residential exemption, You know, not to age anyone, but I look down at you, I ask them if they're 65 or older, and they'll say yes, and then we'll have that conversation. Or I ask them, what about... this and this. Are you a disabled veteran? And then I tend to ask those questions to see if they may qualify for one of those.

And the letter that we're sending out, can we list all these benefits that people can, additional benefits that people can apply for? Yes. So they are the public's aware? Yes. Thank you.

Any further questions?

Excuse the customer, any thanks?

Seconds. A motion has been made and seconded to excuse our guests. All in favor? Opposed? The ayes have it. Thank you so much again for your presentation. Thank you. I don't think we had a sheet in the back so I'm just going to ask the audience Three times if anybody wants to speak in favor or against. So is there anyone in the audience that would like to speak in favor of item number one? Is there anyone that would like to speak in favor of item number one? Anyone the audience would like to speak in favor? Thank you. We have now closed that portion. And is there anyone who would like to speak in opposition? Is there anyone in the public that would like to speak against this piece? Anyone that would like to speak against it?

Consider that motion approved.

Motion has been made and seconded to close public hearing. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it.

I move adoption of a minimum residential factor of point seven seven four three one two setting the city's fiscal twenty six tax rates made and seconded to adopt

recommended amounts. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilor Halsey, Jabouin.

Yes.

Councilor DiPierro. Yes. Councilor Garcia.

Yes.

Matewsky, Pietrantonio, Rogers. Van Campen. Yes. And Council President Martins.

Yes.

Eight yays, zero nays.

Eight yays, zero nays. What has been adopted?

Move reconsideration.

Moved and seconded to reconsider the item. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it.

Councilor Alcy Jabouin. No.

So remote. Mr. Clerk, if you can explain.

So I can explain this. I believe the intent is so we can get this filed immediately this evening when I go back downstairs. with the Assessor. So a no vote does not bring it back. It finalizes the vote. A yes vote will put it back before you again to vote. So if you're looking to get this done tonight, you're looking to vote no.

So you're voting yes or no to reconsider. And you just agreed to the amount. So would you reconsider that, yes or no?

Sorry.

No. Councilor DiPierro. No. Councilor Garcia.

No.

Councilor Matewsky. No. Councilor Pietrantonio. No. Councilor Rogers. No. Councilor Van Campen. No. Councilor President Martins.

No.

Zero yays, eight nays. You have not reconsidered the item.

Okay. Item number two.

Item number two. is an order offered by Councilor Stephanie Martins as president in order requesting approval of the adoption of a residential homeowners tax exemption of 28% in setting the city's FY2026 residential tax rate.

I'll see Jabouin yes

DePierro, Garcia, Martins, Matewsky, Pietrantonio, Rogers. Van Campen. Yes. Council President Martins.

Yes.

Eight yays, zero nays.

We have adopted the 25% exemption.

Move reconsideration on item number two.

which has been made a second to move to reconsider the item all in favor opposed the ayes have it will now call the roll on reconsidering the item

Alcee Jabouin, no, Councilor DiPierro, no, Councilor Garcia, no, Councilor Matewsky, no, Councilor Pietrantonio, no, Councilor Rogers, no, Councilor Van Campen, no, Councilor President Martins, no, zero yeas, eight nays, Madam President.

Item number three.

Item number three. is an order offered by Councilor Stephanie Martins as president, an order requesting approval of an appropriation of $6 million from the budgetary fund balance free cash to reduce the FY2026 tax levy. Variable action.

Second. It has been made a second fee of action. So Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilor Halsey, Jabouin.

Yes. Yes. So you're voting yes or no on the appropriation of $6,000 in free cash? No.

Councilor DiPierro? Yes. Councilor Garcia?

Yes.

Councilor Matewsky? Yes. Councilor Pietrantonio?

Yes.

Yes. Councilor Rogers.

Yes.

Councilor Van Campen. Yes. Councilor President Martins.

Yes.

Seven yays, one nay, Madam President.

Seven yays, one nay. The appropriation has been approved.

Move reconsideration on item 3.

Second. Motion has been made and second to move for reconsideration. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. And the Clerk will call the roll on reconsidering this item.

Halsey-Jabouin?

No.

Councilor DiPierro? No. Councilor Garcia?

No.

Councilor Matewsky? No. Pietrantonio? No. Councilor Rogers? No. Councilor Van Campen? No. Councilor President Martins? No. Zero yeas, eight nays, Madam President.

We have not reconsidered the item. So, item number four.

Item number four is an order offered by Council President Stephanie Martins in order to request the approval of an appropriation of $750,000 from the Wata Sewer Budgetary Fund Balance. Water Sewer Free Cash to offset FY2026 water sewer rates. And if you have a question, the time is now. No questions.

Okay, motion has been made. Second for feeble action. All in favor? Aye.

Oh, I'm sorry. Mr.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Halsey, Jabouin, No, Councilor DiPierro, Yes, Councilor Garcia, Yes, Councilor Matewsky, Yes, Councilor Pietrantonio. Yes. Council Rogers. Yes. Council Van Campen. Yes. Council President Martins.

Yes.

Seven yeas, one nay.

The appropriation has been approved.

Move for reconsideration.

Which has been made and seconded to reconsider the item. All in favor? Sorry, Mr. Clerk, please call the roll. You don't have to vote twice. Yes. We like keeping you longer.

Allison-Jabouin?

No.

Councilor DiPierro? No. Councilor Garcia?

No.

Councilor Matewsky? No. Councilor Pietrantonio? No. Councilor Rogers? No. Van Campen? No. Council President Martins? No. Sarah Reyes, 8 ayes.

Item number 5.

Our final item this evening is an order offered by Council President Stephanie Martins in order requesting approval of an appropriation of $250,000 from the ECTV budgetary fund balance. ECTV free cash to offset the FY2026 ECTV budget.

Payable action.

Second. Which has been made and seconded by a few votes on this item. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilor Alcy Jabouin.

No.

DiPierro, yes, Councilor Garcia, yes, Councilor Matewsky, yes, Councilor Pietrantonio, yes, Councilor Rogers, yes, Councilor Van Campen, yes, Councilor President Martins, yes, 78 is one name.

Motion to reconsider. Second. Motion has been made and second to reconsider. Mr. Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilor Alcy Jabouin.

No.

Councilor DiPierro. No. Councilor Garcia.

No.

Matsuski, no, Councilor Pietrantonio, no, Councilor Rogers, no, Councilor Van Campen, no, Councilor President Martins, no, zero yeas, eight nays, Madam President.

The reconsideration has failed. Now entertain a motion to adjourn. So moved. Motion has been made. Second. And seconded to adjourn. All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed? We have adjourned. Thank you.