Municipality provided incentives to owners of certified projects; local tax incentive; tax increment financing; special tax assessment; approval of amendments
M.G.L. c. 23A, § 3E
in effectc. 23A, § 3E. Municipality provided incentives to owners of certified projects; local tax incentive; tax increment financing; special tax assessment; approval of amendments
Section 3E. (a) Tax increment financing may be offered by a municipality in accordance with section 59 of chapter 40 to the controlling business of a certified project, or to any person or entity undertaking a real estate project or to any person or entity expanding a facility if the municipality finds that there is a strong likelihood that any of the following will occur within the area in question within a specific and reasonably proximate period of time: (i) a significant influx or growth in business activity; (ii) the creation of a significant number of new jobs and not merely a replacement or relocation of current jobs within the commonwealth; or (iii) a private project or investment that contributes significantly to the resiliency of the local economy.
(b)(1) A municipality may offer a special tax assessment to the controlling business of a certified project, to a person or entity undertaking a real estate project or to a person or entity proposing to retain permanent full-time jobs at a facility that otherwise would be at risk of relocating outside of the commonwealth. A special tax assessment shall be set forth in a written agreement between the municipality and the property owner. The agreement shall include, but shall not be limited to, the amount of the tax reduction and the period of time over which such reduction shall be in effect, which shall be for not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years. A special tax assessment approved by the municipality shall provide for a reduction of the real property tax that otherwise would be due. The reduction shall be based upon a percentage reduction in the tax that otherwise would be due on the full assessed value of the affected property. The special tax assessment shall provide for tax reduction at least equal to the following: (i) in the first year, the tax reduction shall be not less than 50 per cent of the tax that would be due based on the full assessed value of the affected property; (ii) in the second and third years, the tax reduction shall be not less than 25 per cent of the tax that would be due based on the full assessed value of the affected property; and (iii) in the fourth and fifth years, the tax reduction shall be not less than 5 per cent of the tax that would be due based on the full assessed value of the affected property. The municipality may at its discretion provide for greater real property tax reductions than those described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive.
(2) A municipality may approve special tax assessments if it determines that: (i) the property owner is either: (A) undertaking a project or otherwise making an investment that contributes to economic revitalization of the municipality and significantly increases employment opportunities for residents of the municipality; or (B) retaining permanent full-time employees that otherwise would be relocated to a facility outside of the commonwealth; (ii) the special tax assessment is reasonably necessary to enable the owner's investment in the project or to retain the jobs that otherwise would be relocated; and (iii) the total amount of local tax foregone is reasonably proportionate to the public benefits resulting from the special tax assessment.
(c) If a municipality offers tax increment financing or special tax assessment to the owner or controlling business of a certified project or to the owner of a facility where a certified project is located, the municipality shall notify the EACC by submitting a fully executed copy of the adopted local incentive agreement and any amendments thereto.
Source: Massachusetts General Court (malegislature.gov)URL: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleII/Chapter23A/Section3EFetched: 10/20/2026