That the City Manager is requested to create a structured commercial tax rate system for FY20 that prioritizes lowering the tax rate for small businesses

City of Cambridge O-3 ORIGINAL ORDER IN CITY COUNCIL May 21, 2018 MAYOR MCGOVERN COUNCILLOR TOOMEY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS WHEREAS: Cambridge’s commercial tax rate of $14.81 per thousand dollars of value is applied equally to all commercial property owners (accounting for 65.4% of the property tax levy for that year) regardless of their size, applying a flat tax to the City’s largest and smallest businesses; and WHEREAS: The City has been able to reduce the commercial tax rate for five consecutive years, and decreased the tax rate by 8.1% between FY17 and FY18; and WHEREAS: The City Council has repeatedly heard about the challenges facing Cambridge’s small business community and has voiced its commitment to supporting a diverse, locally- owned small business ecosystem; now therefore be it ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to create a structured commercial tax rate system for FY20 that prioritizes lowering the tax rate for small businesses. CHARTER RIGHT EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR SIDDIQUI