Tiverton Voters Pick Katz Budget, Lower Tax Increase

Tiverton residents approved a budget plan submitted by petitioner Justin Katz that will increase the tax levy next fiscal year by .9 percent.

The tax rate will be $18.98 per $1,000 of assessed value.

The other option, submitted by the town’s budget committee, would have resulted in a rate of $19.37 per $1,000 of assessed value and a increase on the levy of 2.9 percent.

The total vote tally was 1,535 votes to 1,066.

The final budget will be $37.9 million,

Voting took place on Saturday during an all-day townwide Financial Town Referendum.

The competing budget plans were the subject of much debate across town. Supporters of the larger tax increase argued for increased investment in education, especially all-day kindergarten.

Katz told the Fall River Herald News that the district still has money for all-day kindergarten and that he is pleased voters chose to pick the smaller budget.

“I’m very happy,” he said. “It was a good campaign and I’m glad people came out,” he said.

Photo: Patch file photo.