Working Off Taxes

Town Meeting Member Parlante urges town to create a Senior Property Tax Work-Off Program for Saugus

By Mark E. Vogler

Precinct 2 Town Meeting Member Matthew Parlante is reaching out to town officials to see if Saugus will establish a program that allows for residents over 60 to volunteer for the town in exchange for property tax reductions. In an email to Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree and the Board of Selectmen, Parlante requested “immediate action to implement the Senior Property Tax Work-Off Program,” which was authorized by the state and accepted by a Town Meeting vote in 2014.

“Despite the statute being adopted, the program was never operationalized – and I believe now is the time to make it a reality for the benefit of Saugus seniors,” Parlante wrote.

He noted that state permits up to $2,000 in annual abatement, up to 125 hours of volunteer service and the option for a representative to perform the work if the applicant is physically unable.

Parlante asked selectmen and the town manager to establish the program immediately using existing authority and to budget funds in the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 overlay account to support the program. If selectmen and Town Meeting want to modernize the original Town Meeting vote, Parlante offered to assist in drafting a warrant article that formalizes the program structure and annual review process.

“This is a meaningful opportunity to support seniors aging in place, reduce financial burdens on fixed incomes, and strengthen the connection between our residents and local government,” Parlante said.

“Other towns such as Revere, Hingham, Andover, Winchester, and Hamilton have successfully implemented similar programs and continue to expand them,” he said.

Parlante’s proposal drew a response from Precinct 3 Town Meeting Member Mark V. Sacco Jr., who expressed some concerns. “With Saugus’s large elderly population, this could see overwhelming demand – potentially hundreds or thousands of applicants – driving costs well beyond the overlay account,” Sacco wrote. “That risks a steady tax increase for the rest of the community, especially if we need staff or insurance adjustments to keep up. And if we cap participation to manage that, it wouldn’t just feel unfair by leaving most seniors out – it could still mean higher taxes for everyone, including those excluded seniors, to cover the program’s overhead. Either way, it seems like the broader tax base might take a hit.

Parlante responded in an email to Saco, noting that some communities like Revere use a lottery system, 50 applicants for water and 50 applicants for tax bill abatement. “We can use other cities’ and towns’ programs as guidance as well as getting creative here in Saugus,” Parlante told Saco.