Charlton Finance Committee Reviews $5.6 Million New Growth Figure Driven by Amazon

CHARLTON — November 19, 2025 — Charlton Finance Committee hears Amazon's $4.8 million personal property bill dominates record new growth, while regional health trust faces leadership collapse. Town Assessor Kathy told the committee Wednesday that the town's $5.6 million in approved new growth for the current fiscal year is largely illusory for planning purposes — six accounts, led by Amazon's warehouse facility, account for $5.2 million of that total, leaving just $395,000 in underlying growth, below the $800,000 the committee had budgeted. The tax rate is expected to drop from $11.13 to $10.94, with average bills rising roughly $180 to $190. Town Administrator Sue reported that the regional self-insured health trust lost its executive director to retirement on November 15, no major carrier will quote the trust, and the town faces an April 1, 2026 deadline to decide whether to leave — a departure that would trigger 18 months of direct claims liability. "January, February, March, and April are going to be very heavy meeting months," she said. The committee also finalized its FY27 budget calendar, with a joint meeting with the Board of Selectmen set for April 14, 2026.