The board approved a 5 per cent residential exemption at its meeting Wednesday, allowing some of the property tax burden to shift onto owners of second homes and rental properties. 

West Tisbury year-round and seasonal residents continued voicing their opinions about a proposed residential tax exemption at a select board meeting Wednesday in anticipation of a decision later this fall. 

We are elderly folks in Vineyard Haven and attended the selectmen’s meeting Dec. 9 and just wanted to make a couple of comments.

Tisbury selectmen voted to set a tax rate of $8.46 for the coming year, slightly above last year’s rate of $8.01.

And after discussion at the public tax classification hearing Tuesday, a majority of the board agreed that the town should take steps to gradually shift away from the practice of allowing a residential tax exemption for year-round homeowners.

For this year the residential tax exemption will be lowered from 20 to 18 per cent.