Why did my tax bill increase by more than 2 ½ percent from the previous year?

Higher increases in individual tax bills may result from tax burden shifts (your assessed valuation may have increased more than average), tax rate shifts (classification among residential, commercial, and personal property is voted by the Board of Selectmen), or additions or renovations which increase the valuation of your property.  Furthermore, changes in market value are not always reflected evenly across property classes.  It is common that different types of property (single family and multi family) as well as styles (ranch and colonial) do not appreciate nor depreciate at the same rate.