Wayland assessors weigh $500 senior tax credit headed for state rejection

WAYLAND — March 2, 2026 — Wayland assessors debate whether to advance a $500 senior tax credit doomed at the state level. Member Steven Klitgord, the board's representative on the Senior Tax Relief Committee, told the March 2 meeting the proposed fourth-quarter credit for households with a resident 65 or older was designed as "a thank you" rather than means-tested relief, and that Director Rob Leroux warned the Department of Revenue would likely reject it. Klitgord said roughly 40 percent of town revenue comes from senior-owned households, many of them in Wayland 20 to 30 years. Chair Zachariah L. Ventress urged withdrawal over a doomed Town Meeting vote, saying residents "might get frustrated that you wasted their time." The board unanimously approved Feb. 2 open-session minutes before adjourning to executive session at 6:26 p.m.