Somebody want to explain the difference between tax rates and tax bills to Stewart? We have one of the highest tax rates around. Our bills are lower because our properties are worth less. A $300,000 house in Salem pays much more in taxes than a $300,000 house in almost all of the surrounding communities.

The CPA tax will also increase tax payments. I don't suppose you know the increase with the CPA tax?

salem wont know the cpa tax until the mayor has all her cpa cronies seated. this ought to be good for a laugh.

Pay more, get less. Always a fine deal

Remember this In 2011 taxes,
single-family homeowner will go up $127
condominium owner will go up $37
2 family homes drop $38
3 family homes drop $115
I say we double the tax bill on these multi family low income units.

Get rid of the mayor.....and chief of police.....the city is a big session of crud

Why does Salem always compare itself to surrounding comunities. We elected leaders to run Salem not other cities and towns. Compare our schools,sewer plant ,power plant and traffic while your at it. This increase will bring the average single family tax to over 4k per year,what do we get for it? I can't afford the parking meter to go pay my tax bill. Try getting something done through city hall and see how you make out. The last time I had a question for the building inspector the response was look it up online in the city code. Useless? How much have we spent on legal fees to fight the police grievance and the transfer station mess? Well done!

Would the CPA have passed if we knew this was coming? Is there any thing else you need from us? It's nice to know we blew that money on replacing trees with bricks downtown. It's nice to know ridership on our boat is down again.The mayor has made Salem the new Chelsea. The mayor loves the photo opps when new business comes to Salem,how about standing in front of the businesses that are leaving and explaine why?

To quote directly from an early Driscoll election brochure..... "I'm running for Mayor because I think it's time for a change - a positive change aimed at improving how Salem operates at every level. I have professional experience as a former city manager, city attorney, planner and I've also served as a Salem City Councilor: As your next Mayor, I'll use that experience to stabilize property taxes and make sure you are getting your moneys worth when it comes to managing the City's $105 million dollar budget."

Well folks, almost $40 million dollars later, two level 4 schools, increases in every fine, fee, and tax, Gateway City status, an aggressive low-income housing construction program, and controversies over wind turbines, transfer stations, harbor masters, methidone clinics, parking plans and traffic lights, we've certainly got the "change" that was promised. The remaining questions is, what's next?

"The average single family home was valued at $284,800. The average condo was valued at $217,300. Seventy five percent of all residences in Salem are in these two categories."

75%?! I doubt it! That jumped *right* off the page.

As to Stewart's skewed info on who pays what, glad that's already been addressed.

dear Mayor Driscoll-I love to work!! But, I work in the service industry & in this rotten, economic recession that we're stuck in, my income has taken a hit.
i would love to do work to beautify the City of Salem to pay my property taxes!
i'll start right in my neighborhood.
of course, i will have to be paid the same hourly rate as a Salem DPW employee.
let's make a deal, OK?

In reference to the tax increases, the new regulations requiring flood insurance has already wreaked havoc with my budget. Now, the City adding more to the property taxes is just a bit much. Homeowners cannot shop for the best deal in either case. when factoring in the decreases in services, trash pick-up, recycling issues, and the decline in the school system, I feel high jacked and with the fiscal cliff overshadowing cuts in local aid, next year will bring more of the same.

We should all be writing to president Obama! He made promises that no taxes "Not even taxes on property would go up!" Our city government is out of control! I think I am going to bombard the White house with letters! "I think the real reason our city is raising taxes is because our Mayor most likely ran short on her stupid idiotic cruise ship project!"We all need to go to city hall and get the summary of the 20 year plan for this city! All the projects that we read about have been on the books for years and we only fine out about them after the plans are in motion and it hits the news.If we were all smart we would have a Boston Tea Party of our own at toss our tax bills into the harbor off the Wharf next to the ship!

What this city needs is to clean out the house called City hall and get some real people in there that care about the residents of this city!

Homeowners pay more taxes? So what else is new? The biggest taxpayer will be shutting down {Power Plant} yet Salem State and Salem Hospital don't pay anything. Is there something wrong with this picture? Yes, and it begins with City Hall.