Norwell Officials Eye Economic Growth to Ease Tax Burden

Norwell officials are considering ways to increase the town’s commercial tax base as financial constraints and a possible tax override loom over the community.

At the February 5 Select Board meeting, Chair Jason Brown highlighted a concerning trend: Norwell’s commercial tax base has declined in proportion to residential taxes, placing a greater financial burden on homeowners.

“When I started on the board, we were approximately 15% of our tax base was commercial and now we're under 12%,” Brown said. “Now it's not necessarily that commercial base declined. I mean residential has increased, but it's still the proportionality.”

As Norwell faces rising expenses from inflation, contractual obligations, and reduced state aid, the town is grappling with a projected budget shortfall.

“We do have opportunities for economic development. We have to be as creative as possible,” Brown stated. “We need to look at economic development measures and we have to let people know that Norwell is open for business and we are pro-business.”

One focus of discussion was Queen Anne’s Corner, a key commercial area that was previously part of a redevelopment plan in collaboration with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). However, long-term leases signed by anchor tenants stalled progress.

“We're at a point now where we're far enough into that. We should begin to talk about how to reengage them and dust the plan off and revisit it,” Select Board Member Bruce Graham said.

Town Administrator Darlene Sullivan echoed the importance of economic development in shaping Norwell’s future.

“All of those things tie in with our vision … and where are we and how do we want to move forward and what does it look like?” Sullivan said. “What does the town need?”

The discussion comes amid broader financial challenges affecting many South Shore towns, with several municipalities considering overrides to address budget gaps. Norwell officials have pledged to provide public forums to discuss both the potential override and economic strategies before any decisions are made.

“We will be getting in front of the public, we’ll have some public forums, obviously before town meeting and be available for Q&A,” Sullivan said.

The Select Board said its next steps include revisiting previous economic development plans and determining how to encourage commercial growth while maintaining Norwell’s character.

See the full meeting on Norwell Spotlight TV.