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The Hanover Select Board voted to keep the town’s business property tax rate unchanged after listening to concerns from local business owners and coordinated advocacy from the Hanover Chamber of Commerce, signaling a clear effort by town leaders to respond directly to the needs of the business community.
The decision followed weeks of discussion and a public hearing where business leaders warned that further increases could weaken Hanover’s competitiveness and push investment toward neighboring communities with unified tax structures. Board members repeatedly emphasized the importance of stability and predictability for local employers.
Central to that effort was collaboration between regional and local chambers.
According to Tim Cahill, President of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce, the South Shore Chamber collaborated closely with the Hanover Chamber of Commerce—an affiliated partner—on the initiative that brought local businesses and the Hanover Select Board together to maintain the town’s current business property tax rate. Cahill explained that the South Shore Chamber shares the Hanover Chamber’s commitment to supporting a strong local business climate and was pleased to work together on the effort. He noted that the Chamber provided tools, resources, and strategic guidance to help strengthen communication and advocacy on behalf of the business community.
“This effort really highlighted how effective collaboration and clear communication can be,” Cahill said. “Our goal was simply to support the Hanover Chamber with the resources and guidance they needed to engage productively with both local businesses and town leadership and help move the conversation forward.”
Richardson noted that Hanover’s business community differs substantially from other towns.
“Most of our businesses are small, unique, and locally owned, many by Hanover residents themselves,” Richardson told the Selectboard. “Companies are struggling to fund new equipment, fund property upgrades, and pay for the technology required to stay competitive.”
During the hearing, business representatives described the real-world impact of shifting the commercial tax burden. Ed Callahan, general manager of Hanover Crossing, spoke on behalf of small, locally owned businesses.
“Hanover is the only community in our immediate region that still has a split tax rate,” Callahan said. “That difference matters.”
Callahan explained that higher taxes would force difficult decisions for retailers already facing rising operational costs and competitive pressures.
“If taxes are raised or other costs escalate, we have to make hard decisions,” he said. “Stability will help level the playing field, support our local businesses and strengthen Hanover's long-term and economic competitiveness.”
Select Board members acknowledged that message. Steve Louko said businesses were not asking for reductions, but for consistency.
“They weren't asking for us to go lower,” Louko said. “They were saying that they want to have stability in the commercial tax rate to provide much needed predictability.”
Louko added that stability should be a guiding principle.
“Businesses want that predictability and we should provide it,” he said.
Board members also referenced the Board of Assessors’ recommendation that a steady approach remained the most sustainable option for Hanover. While recognizing rising service demands tied to commercial areas, the Select Board ultimately concluded that holding the rate steady struck the most balanced path forward.
By maintaining the current rate, town leaders reinforced a message that Hanover values its local business community and is willing to listen, engage, and respond through collaborative dialogue.