State House delegation secures timely passage of home rule petition for town
BOSTON – Reading’s popular means-tested senior property tax exemption program has been reauthorized for another three years following a push by the town’s State House legislative delegation to get the accompanying legislation signed into law before the current program expires on June 30.
House Bill 5103, An Act authorizing the town of Reading to establish a means-tested senior citizen property tax exemption, was signed by Governor Maura Healey on June 25 as Chapter 111 of the Acts of 2026. At the request of House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading), State Representative Richard M. Haggerty (D-Woburn), and State Senator Jason M. Lewis (D-Winchester), Governor Healey filed a Statement of Emergency with Secretary of State William Galvin’s office to allow the home rule petition to take effect immediately upon its passage, rather than having to wait the customary 30 days.
The Town of Reading established this exemption on a three-year trial basis in 2017, pursuant to Chapter 343 of the Acts of 2016, to help older residents living on fixed incomes remain in their homes. Due to its popularity, Reading requested and secured legislative approval for a three-year extension of the program under Chapter 50 of the Acts of 2020. The most recent extension was signed into law on January 5, 2023, as Chapter 412 of the Acts of 2022.
“As the cost of living continues to rise, Reading’s senior property tax exemption program has had a positive impact on many local seniors living on fixed incomes,” said Representative Jones. “I’m pleased to have worked with Representative Haggerty and Senator Lewis on behalf of the town to help ensure that qualifying residents can continue to enjoy financial relief under this program.”
“For Reading seniors on fixed incomes, every dollar matters, and this local property tax exemption program will continue to deliver real, meaningful savings that help them stay in their homes by providing some relief during these difficult financial times,” said Representative Haggerty. “I’m happy to have worked alongside my colleagues in the Reading delegation to get this across the finish line, and I hope it continues to bring real comfort and stability to the seniors in our town who need it most in the years ahead.”
“Rising property taxes have created serious financial burdens for many elderly residents in Reading and across Massachusetts, and I’m grateful to have helped extend this tax relief for seniors in Reading,” said Senator Lewis. “Earlier this year, I also led the passage of legislation in the Massachusetts Senate to make it easier for communities to opt in to this program to provide some tax relief to seniors struggling to pay increasing property taxes and not be taxed out of their communities.”
Reading’s program uses a three-year sunset clause, which allows town officials to periodically evaluate the tax exemption and to make changes as needed. When the program started, the Reading Select Board set the amount of the exemption on an annual basis, within a range of 50% to 200% of the Massachusetts Senior Circuit Breaker income tax credit, which is currently capped at $2,820. Beginning with the fourth year of the program, the annual exemption was set at a flat rate of 150% of the Senior Circuit Breaker. Under Chapter 412, the Reading Select Board once again set the rate annually, this time at between 100% and 150% of the Senior Circuit Breaker. The newly signed bill continues to use these same parameters for the program.
Reading’s senior property tax exemption program is available to property owners 65 or older who qualify for the Senior Circuit Breaker tax credit based on their previous year’s income, although the second person on a joint application can be 60-64 years old. Applicants must own and occupy a residence with an assessed value below the Senior Circuit Breaker threshold (currently $1,298,000), while all individual applicants, and at least one joint applicant, must also be homeowners in Reading for a minimum of 10 consecutive years to qualify. Residents must apply for the exemption on an annual basis, and the Board of Assessors can reject any applicant determined to have excessive assets.
