2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts › Chapter 40 - Powers and Duties of Cities and Towns › Section 59 - Tax Increment Financing Plan

Section 59. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, any city or town by vote of its town meeting, town council, or city council with the approval of the mayor where required by law, on its own behalf or in conjunction with one or more cities or towns, and pursuant to regulations issued by the economic assistance coordinating council established under section 3B of chapter 23A, may adopt and execute a tax increment financing agreement hereinafter referred to as a TIF agreement, and do any and all things necessary thereto; provided, however, that the TIF agreement:
(i) includes a description of the parcels to be included in the agreement; provided, however, that the parcels are wholly within an economic target area as defined in section 3G of chapter 23A or an area designated by the economic assistance coordinating council as a TIF–eligible area pursuant to subsection (b) of section 3E of said chapter 23A; provided, further, that in the case of a TIF area that includes parcels located in one or more city or towns, the areas included in the TIF agreement shall be contiguous areas of such cities or towns;
(ii) describes in detail all construction and construction-related activity, public and private, contemplated for such TIF agreement as of the date of adoption of the TIF agreement; provided, however, that in the case of public construction as aforesaid, the TIF agreement shall include a detailed projection of the costs thereof and a betterment schedule for the defrayal of such costs; provided, further, that the TIF agreement shall provide that no costs of such public constructions shall be recovered through betterments or special assessments imposed on any party which has not executed an agreement in accordance with the provisions of clause (v); and provided, further, that in the case of private construction as aforesaid, the TIF agreement shall include the types of industrial and commercial developments which are projected to occur within such TIF area, with documentary evidence of the level of commitment therefore, including but not limited to architectural plans and specifications as required by said regulations;
(iii) authorizes tax increment exemptions from property taxes, under clause 51 of section 5 of chapter 59, for a specified term not to exceed 20 years, for any parcel of real property which is included in a TIF agreement; provided, however, that the TIF agreement shall specify the level of the exemptions expressed as exemption percentages, not to exceed 100 per cent to be used in calculating the exemptions for the parcel, and for personal property situated on that parcel, as provided under said clause 51 of said section 5 of said chapter 59; provided, further, that the exemption for each parcel of real property shall be calculated using an adjustment factor for each fiscal year of the specified term equal to the product of the inflation factors for each fiscal year since the parcel first became eligible for an exemption under this clause; provided, further that the inflation factor for each fiscal year shall be a ratio;
(a) the numerator of which shall be the total assessed value of all parcels of commercial and industrial real estate that are assessed at full and fair cash value for the current fiscal year minus the new growth adjustment for the current fiscal year attributable to the commercial and industrial real estate as determined by the commissioner of revenue under subsection (f) of section 21C of chapter 59; and
(b) the denominator of which shall be the total assessed value for the preceding fiscal year of all the parcels included in the numerator; provided, however, that the ratio shall not be less than 1;
(iv) establishes a maximum percentage of the costs of any public construction, referenced in clause (ii) and initiated subsequent to the adoption of the TIF agreement, that can be recovered through betterments or special assessments against any parcel of real property eligible for tax increment exemptions from property taxes pursuant to clause (iii) during the period of such parcel's eligibility for exemption from annual property taxes pursuant to clause 51 of section 5 of chapter 59, notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 80 or any other general or special law authorizing the imposition of betterments or special assessments;
(v) includes: (a) all material representations of the parties which served as the basis for the descriptions contained in the TIF agreement in accordance with the provisions of clause (ii); (b) a detailed recitation of the tax increment exemptions and the maximum percentage of the cost of public improvements that can be recovered through betterments or special assessments regarding such parcel of real property pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv); (c) a detailed recitation of all other benefits and responsibilities inuring to and assumed by the parties to such agreement; and (d) a provision that such agreement shall be binding upon subsequent owners of such parcel of real property;
(vi) delegates to one board, agency or officer of the city or town the authority to execute the agreement in accordance with the provisions of clause (v);
(vii) is certified as an approved TIF agreement by the economic assistance coordinating council pursuant to section 3E of chapter 23A and regulations adopted by said council; provided, however, that the economic assistance coordinating council shall certify in its vote that the TIF agreement is consistent with the requirements of this section and section 3E of chapter 23A, and will further the public purpose of encouraging increased industrial and commercial activity in the commonwealth;
(viii) requires of an owner of a parcel pursuant to clause (v) to submit to the city or town clerk and the economic assistance coordinating council a report detailing the status of the construction laid out in the agreement; the current value of the property; and the number of jobs created to date as a result of the agreement; provided, however, that a report shall be filed every two years for the term of the tax increment exemption allowed under clause 51 of section 5 of chapter 59; and provided further, that a final report shall be filed in the final year of the exemption.
The board, agency or officer of the city or town authorized pursuant to clause (vi) to execute agreements shall forward to the board of assessors a copy of each approved TIF agreement, together with a list of the parcels included therein.