Taxes Lost in the Grass

When Swampscott taxpayers drive along Salem Street they see manicured grasslands on both sides of the road. This sweep of golf course greenery seems to go on for acres - and it does. In Swampscott alone – not counting Marblehead – the Tedesco Country Club owns 143.88 acres of prime Swampscott real estate. This acreage makes Tedesco the largest landowner in Swampscott.

For these143 acres, again in Swampscott only, the Tedesco Country Club in 2012 paid (better sit down for this) total property taxes of $75,740.21. That is not a typo; no zeroes have been left off. The total taxes paid to the Town of Swampscott by this private golf club in 2012 were $75,740.21. That breaks down to $526.41 per acre of prime property. Swampscott taxpayer, how much tax did you pay for your ¼ (?) acre lot?

 The fault for this glaring inequity rests not with our town officials or with town assessing practices. This fiscal outrage is mandated by the Massachusetts Legislature, specifically Sections 1 and 2 of Chapter 61B, Classification and Taxation of Recreational Land. This state law defines golf courses as recreational land. Here is the rub, for tax purposes no distinction is made between public golf courses open to anyone and private courses, like Tedesco. All properties covered by this special interest tax classification must, by Chapter 61B, be taxed at a valuation that can not "...exceed twenty-five per cent of its fair cash value..." As a result of this law, Tedesco, a private golf club, pays only 25% of the fair value of its property.

At this time when every corner is searched for additional state revenue, this bastion of private golf course privilege screams to be corrected. Will Beacon Hill throw out this sweetheart deal and make private golf courses like Tedesco pay equitable taxes or will this inequitable law remain on the books in defiance of fair taxation? 

Herbert Belkin
Swampscott

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