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03/23/15 AC Minutes Minutes Town of Lexington Appropriation Committee(AC) March23,2015 : Lexington High School,Room221, 7:00 p.m. : Glenn Parker, Chair; John Bartenstein, Vice Chair and Secretary; Alan Levine; Beth Masterman;Susan McLeish;Eric Michelson; Richard Neumeier; Andrei Radulescu-Banu Members Absent:Mollie Garberg Other attendees: None The meeting was called to order at 7:01p.m. Announcements: 1.Mr. Parker asked that each member sign the printed AC reports to Town Meeting. He also reviewed the procedurefor Committee members wishing to speak on behalf of this Committee during Town Meeting deliberations. Articles from the Warrant for the March 2015 Annual Town Meeting: 2. There was discussion about Article 34: Accept MGL Chapter 59, Section 5, Clause 54 and Set Personal Property Minimum Tax.Mr. Michelson reported that the Selectmen had voted earlier in the evening to again change theproposed threshold for assessing a personal property tax on resident businesses. Originally proposed at $1,000, then changed to $2,000, the Selectmen’s latest vote was to set the thresholdat $1,200. The changewas made after clarification that $1,200 is the lowest level at which the tax collected exceeds the costsof assessment. School Capital Projects, Tax Impact: 3.There was discussion about the potential impact on the tax levy of debt exclusions that will be requiredfor new and/or expanded schools and public safety facilities,and how to evaluate Lexington’s recent history of tax growth compared with other communities.A proposal was made to undertake an analysis after the conclusion of the Annual Town Meeting,and to prepare material to help taxpayers understand the past and future impact of excluded debt on the property tax for the average home. The meeting was adjourned at 7:23p.m. The documents used at the meeting are listed below. Respectfully submitted, Sara Arnold Recording Secretary Approved March 30, 2015 Exhibits 1.Agenda,posted by Glenn Parker