Quincy — The City Council paused a final decision on the city’s fiscal year 2026 property tax classification on Monday after a night of detailed assessments and sustained public comment. John Roland, chair of the Board of Assessors, told the council the city’s total assessed value is $24,900,000,000, a 4.9% increase from the prior year, and that the residential class accounts for roughly 85.8% of the total valuation.

Roland said the council must decide whether to tax all property classes at full and fair cash valuation (a single tax rate) or reduce the share borne by residential owners and shift more of the levy to commercial, industrial and personal property under the maximum 1.75 shift allowed by state law. "For fiscal year 2026, the total value of all property across the city is $24,900,000,000," Roland said during his presentation. He also presented market data showing a citywide median single‑family sale price of $720,000 in 2024 and new assessed tax base growth of more than $400 million.

Residents who spoke at the hearing urged caution about raising levies on fixed‑income seniors and owner‑occupants. "We've been homeowners and taxpayers in Quincy, since 1971," said Mike Carter, who asked councilors to "give this group special consideration beyond the current deferments" so longtime residents can remain in their homes. Other speakers, including Kathy Trent, pressed the council about how pension assessments and past investment losses factor into rate calculations.

Newly elected Councilor at Large Anne Mahoney urged the council to heed state legal obligations on pension funding: "Under Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 32, Section 22, cities must fund their annual actuary determined pension assessments," she said, warning that if the city delays funding required pension assessments the Division of Local Services may require the full amount to be added to the tax recap.

Councilors questioned the timing of levy and free‑cash certification and asked administration staff to present the final tax‑rate recap next week. The clerk read an agenda line that referenced a residential factor of 87.6332; however, the council did not make a final motion on the residential factor and the presiding officer said the vote will be taken at the next meeting when levy numbers and other financial orders are available. The public hearing will continue on Monday, Dec. 15 at 6:30 p.m.

The council was careful to distinguish the classification decision (which affects how the levy is distributed among property classes) from the actual tax rates, which require the certified levy and other financial figures. Administration staff indicated they are working with the Department of Revenue and expect to provide the remaining financial details at the next meeting.

What’s next: The council scheduled a reconvened public hearing for Dec. 15 to receive the final levy/certification numbers and to vote on the residential factor and associated tax rates.