Canton, Massachusetts · Saved source text
Final Official Statement dated May 21, 2024
Saved text from 207 source pages. Transcription and OCR may contain errors; verify figures and wording against the original. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
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LARGEST TAXPAYERS
The following shows the ten largest taxpayers for fiscal 2024 (1):
Fiscal 2024 % of Total
Nature of Assessed Amount Tax
Name Business Valuation of Tax Levy
Eversource Utility $170,827,720 $ 3,553,217 3.7%
Point32 Health* Offices 89,863,400 1,697,440 1.8
BREIT MF Blue Hills LLC Apartments 68,146,760 1,417,453 1.5
BAC Canton Holdings LLC Offices 64,341,900 1,338,312 1.4
555 TNPK 74 Owner LLC Manufacturer 56,001,800 1,164,837 1.2
Medical Information Tech, Inc. Offices 55,632,200 1,157,150 1.2
Waterfall Hills at Canton Apartments 51,142,600 1,063,766 1.1
BOS Apt 2 LLC Apartments 48,108,800 1,000,663 1.0
AG EIP 135 Will Drive LLC Warehouses 47,936,800 997,085 1.0
MCG Canton Arboretum LLC Apartments 47,384,000 985,587 1.0
Boston Mutual Bldg Rlty Trust Offices 41,040,250 853,637 0.9
Total $740,426,230 $15,229,147 15.9%
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(1) All of the largest taxpayers set forth above are current on their real estate and personal property taxes.
* Exempt from property tax in fiscal 2024 subject to a $1.7 million PILOT in fiscal 2024.
TAX LEVIES
Levy – General. The principal tax of Massachusetts cities and towns is the tax on real and personal property. The amount
to be levied in each year is the amount appropriated or required by law to be raised for municipal expenditures less estimated
receipts from other sources and less appropriations voted from funds on hand. The total amount levied is subject to certain
limits prescribed by law; for a description of those limits see “Tax Limitations” herein. As to the inclusion of debt service
and final judgments, see “Security and Remedies” herein.
The estimated receipts for a fiscal year from sources other than the property tax may not exceed the actual receipts during
the preceding fiscal year from the same sources unless approved by the State Commissioner of Revenue. Excepting special
funds the use of which is otherwise provided for by law, the deduction for appropriations voted from funds on hand for a
fiscal year cannot exceed the “free cash” as of the beginning of the prior fiscal year as certified by the State Director of
Accounts plus up to nine months’ collections and receipts on account of earlier years’ taxes after that date. Subject to certain
adjustments, free cash is surplus revenue less uncollected overdue property taxes from earlier years.
Although an allowance is made in the tax levy for abatements (see “Abatements and Overlay” herein) no reserve is generally
provided for uncollectible real property taxes. Since some of the levy is inevitably not collected, this creates a cash
deficiency which may or may not be offset by other items (see “Taxation to Meet Deficits” herein).
Taxation to Meet Deficits. As noted elsewhere (see “Abatements and Overlay” herein) overlay deficits, i.e. tax abatements
in excess of the overlay included in the tax levy to cover abatements, are required to be added to the next tax levy. It is
generally understood that revenue deficits, i.e. those resulting from non-property tax revenues being less than anticipated,
are also required to be added to the tax levy (at least to the extent not covered by surplus revenue).
Amounts lawfully expended since the prior tax levy and not included therein are also required to be included in the annual
tax levy. The circumstances under which this can arise are limited since municipal departments are generally prohibited
from incurring liabilities in excess of appropriations except for major disasters, mandated items, contracts in aid of housing
and renewal projects and other long-term contracts. In addition, utilities must be paid at established rates and certain
established salaries, e.g. civil service, must legally be paid for work actually performed, whether or not covered by
appropriations.
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In the opinion of Bond Counsel, cities and towns are authorized to appropriate sums, and thus to levy taxes, to cover deficits
arising from other causes, such as “free cash” deficits arising from a failure to collect taxes. This is not generally understood,
however, and it has not been the practice to levy taxes to cover free cash deficits. Except to the extent that such deficits
have been reduced or eliminated by subsequent collections of uncollected taxes (including sales of tax titles and tax
possessions), lapsed appropriations, non-property tax revenues in excess of estimates, other miscellaneous items or funding
loans authorized by special act, they remain in existence.
Tax Limitations. Chapter 59, Section 21C of the General Laws, also known as Proposition 2 ½, imposes two separate
limits on the annual tax levy of a city or town.
The primary limitation is that the tax levy cannot exceed 2 ½ percent of the full and fair cash value. If a city or town exceeds
the primary limitation, it must reduce its tax levy by at least 15 percent annually until it is in compliance, provided that the
reduction can be reduced in any year to not less than 7 ½ percent by majority vote of the voters, or to less than 7 ½ percent
by two-thirds vote of the voters.
For cities and towns at or below the primary limit, a secondary limitation is that the tax levy cannot exceed the maximum
levy limit for the preceding fiscal year as determined by the State Commissioner of Revenue by more than 2 ½ percent
subject to exceptions for property added to the tax rolls or property which has had an increase, other than as part of a general
revaluation in its assessed valuation over the prior year’s valuation.
This “growth” limit on the tax levy may be exceeded in any year by a majority vote of the voters, but an increase in the secondary
or growth limit under this procedure does not permit a tax levy in excess of the primary limitation, since the two limitations
apply independently. In addition, if the voters vote to approve taxes in excess of the “growth” limit for the purpose of funding
a stabilization fund, such increased amount may only be taken into account for purposes of calculating the maximum levy limit
in each subsequent year if the board of selectmen of a town or the city council of a city votes by a two-thirds vote to appropriate
such increased amount in such subsequent year to the stabilization fund. The applicable tax limits may also be reduced in any
year by a majority of the voters.
The State Commissioner of Revenue may adjust any tax limit “to counterbalance the effects of extraordinary, non-recurring
events which occurred during the base year”.
The statute further provides that the voters may exclude from the taxes subject to the tax limits and from the calculations of
the maximum tax levy (a) the amount required to pay debt service on bonds and notes issued before November 4, 1980, if
the exclusion is approved by a majority vote of the voters, and (b) the amount required to pay debt service on any specific
subsequent issue for which similar approval is obtained. Even with voter approval, the holders of the obligations for which
unlimited taxes may be assessed do not have a statutory priority or security interest in the portion of the tax levy attributable
to such obligations. As noted above, debt service on $9,637,000 of currently outstanding bonds, is excluded from the
limitations of Proposition 2½, subject to the provisions of Chapter 44, Section 20 of the General Laws. It should be
noted that Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44, Section 20 requires that the taxes excluded from the levy limit to pay
debt service on any such bonds and notes be calculated based on the true interest cost of the issue.
Voters may also exclude from the Proposition 2 ½ limits the amount required to pay specified capital outlay expenditures
or for the city or town’s apportioned share for certain capital outlay expenditures by a regional governmental unit. In
addition, the city council of a city, with the approval of the Mayor if required, or the board of selectmen or the town council
of a town may vote to exclude from the Proposition 2 ½ limits taxes raised in lieu of sewer or water charges to pay debt
service on bonds or notes issued by the municipality (or by an independent authority, commission or district) for water or
sewer purposes, provided that the municipality’s sewer or water charges are reduced accordingly.
In addition, Proposition 2 ½ limits the annual increase in the total assessments on cities and towns by any county, district,
authority, the Commonwealth or any other governmental entity (except regional school districts, the MWRA and certain
districts for which special legislation provides otherwise) to the sum of (a) 2 ½ percent of the prior year’s assessments and
(b) “any increases in costs, charges or fees for services customarily provided locally or for services subscribed to at local
option”. Regional water districts, regional sewerage districts and regional veteran’s district may exceed these limitations
under statutory procedures requiring a two-thirds vote of the district’s governing body and either approval of the local
appropriating authorities (by two-thirds vote in districts with more than two members or by majority vote in two-member
districts) or approval of the registered voters in a local election (in the case of two-member districts). Under Proposition
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2 ½ any State law to take effect on or after January 1, 1981 imposing a direct service or cost obligation on a city or town
will become effective only if accepted or voluntarily funded by the city or town or if State funding is provided. Similarly,
State rules or regulations imposing additional costs on a city or town or laws granting or increasing local tax exemptions
are to take effect only if adequate State appropriations are provided. These statutory provisions do not apply to costs
resulting from judicial decisions.
Pledged Taxes. Taxes on certain property in designated development districts may be pledged for the payment of costs of
economic development projects within such districts and may therefore be unavailable for other municipal purposes. The Town
does not have any such districts.
Initiative Petitions. Various other proposals have been made in recent years for legislative amendments to the
Massachusetts Constitution to impose limits on state and local taxes. To be adopted such amendments must be approved
by two successive legislatures and then by the voters at a state election.
CALCULATION OF TAX LEVIES AND LEVY LIMITS
The following table shows the details of the calculation of the tax levies for the current and most recent fiscal years: (1)
Fiscal Year Ending June 30: ($000)
2024 2023 2022 2021 2020
Gross Amount to be Raised
Appropriations $ 138,106 $ 131,243 $ 123,434 $ 118,309 $ 119,601
Other Local Expenditures 933 50 42 32 125
State and County Charges 1,569 1,511 1,502 1,229 1,219
Overlay Reserve 1,826 956 1,996 1,490 987
Total Amount to be Raised $ 142,434 $ 133,760 $ 126,974 $ 121,059 $ 121,932
Less Estimated Receipts From:
State 11,585 10,798 9,398 9,638 9,409
Local 27,611 26,332 25,333 22,325 23,360
Available Funds Appropriated:
Free Cash 4,797 2,985 2,175 729 2,159
Other Available Funds 2,929 2,435 2,439 3,425 6,838
Free Cash & Other Revenue Used
to Reduce the Tax Rate 0 0 0 0 0
Total Estimated Receipts and Revenue 46,921 42,550 39,345 36,117 41,765
Net Amount to be Raised (Tax Levy) $ 95,512 $ 91,210 $ 87,628 $ 84,942 $ 80,167
(1) Source: Massachusetts Department of Revenue.
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The following shows the calculation of levy limits for the current and most recent fiscal years (1):
Fiscal Year Ending June 30: ($000)
2024 2023 2022 2021 2020
Primary Levy Limit (1) $ 190,216 $ 172,323 $ 153,119 $ 139,875 $ 130,904
Prior Fiscal Year Levy Limit 91,364 87,874 83,421 79,874 76,233
2.5% Levy Growth 2,284 2,197 2,086 1,997 1,906
New Growth (2) 2,313 1,293 2,368 1,550 1,735
Overrides 0 0 0 0 0
Growth Levy Limit 95,961 91,364 87,874 83,421 79,874
Current Fiscal Year Debt Exclusions 1,284 1,483 1,482 1,586 1,206
Capital Expenditure Exclusion 0 0 0 0 0
Tax Levy Limit 97,245 92,847 89,356 85,007 81,080
Tax Levy 95,512 91,210 87,628 84,942 80,167
Unused Levy Capacity (3) 1,733 1,636 1,728 65 913
Unused Primary Levy Capacity (4) $ 94,255 $ 80,959 $ 65,245 $ 56,454 $ 51,030
(1) 2.5% of assessed valuation
(2) Allowed increase for new valuations - certified by Department of Revenue
(3) Tax Levy Limit less Tax Levy
(4) Primary Levy Limit less Growth Levy Limit
TAX COLLECTIONS AND ABATEMENTS
Payment Dates. The taxes for each fiscal year generally are due in two installments on November 1 (subject to deferral if
tax bills are sent out late) and May 1, unless a city or town accepts a statute providing for quarterly tax payments. The
Town has accepted this provision. Under the statute, preliminary tax payments are to be due on August 1 and November 1
with payment of the actual tax bill (after credit is given for the preliminary payments) in installments on February 1 and
May 1 if actual tax bills are mailed by December 31. Interest accrues on delinquent taxes at the rate of 14 percent per
annum.
Lien. Real property (land and buildings) is subject to a lien for the taxes assessed upon it, subject to any paramount federal
lien and subject to bankruptcy and insolvency laws. (In addition, real property is subject to a lien for certain unpaid
municipal charges or fees.) If the property has been transferred, an unenforced lien expires on the fourth December 31 after
the end of the fiscal year to which the tax relates. If the property has not been transferred by the fourth December 31, an
unenforced lien expires upon a later transfer of the property. Provision is made, however, for continuation of the lien where
it could not be enforced because of a legal impediment.
Personal Liability. The persons against whom real or personal property taxes are assessed are personally liable for the tax
(subject to bankruptcy and insolvency laws). In the case of real property, this personal liability is effectively extinguished
by sale or taking of the property as described in “Taking and Sale” herein.
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The following shows the total tax levy, the reserve for abatements, the net levy and the amounts collected during each fiscal
year for the current and most recent fiscal years:
Fiscal Year Ending June 30: ($000)
2024 2023 2022 2021 2020
Total Tax Levy $95,512 $91,210 $87,628 $84,942 $80,167
Overlay Reserve for Abatements 1,826 956 1,996 1,490 987
Net Tax Levy (1) $93,686 $90,255 $85,632 $83,452 $79,180
Amount Collected
During Fiscal Year Payable (2) (3) $71,843 $90,248 $86,417 $83,774 $77,781
Percent of Net Tax Levy 76.67% 99.99% 100.92% 100.39% 98.23%
(1) Net after deduction of overlay reserve for abatements.
(2) Actual collections of levy less refunds and amounts refundable. Includes proceeds of tax titles and tax possessions attributed to
levy but not including abatements or other credits.
(3) Collections as of March 31, 2024 for Fiscal 2024.
Abatements and Overlay. A city or town is authorized to increase each tax levy by an amount approved by the State
Commissioner of Revenue as an “overlay” to provide for tax abatements. If abatements are granted in excess of the
applicable overlay, the excess is required to be added to the next tax levy.
Abatements are granted where exempt real or personal property has been assessed or where taxable real or personal property
has been overvalued or disproportionately valued. The assessors may also abate uncollectible personal property taxes. They
may abate real and personal property taxes on broad grounds (including inability to pay) with the approval of the State
Commissioner of Revenue. But uncollected real property taxes are ordinarily not written off until they become municipal
“tax titles” by purchase at the public sale or by taking, at which time the tax is written off in full by reserving the amount of
the tax and charging surplus.
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The following shows the abatements granted during each fiscal year for the current and most recent fiscal years (1):
Fiscal Year Ending June 30: ($000)
2024 2023 2022 2021 2020
Total Tax Levy $95,512 $91,210 $87,628 $84,942 $80,167
Overlay Reserve for Abatements $ 1,826 $ 956 $ 1,996 $ 1,490 $ 987
Percent of Tax Levy 1.91% 1.05% 2.28% 1.75% 1.23%
Abatements Granted:
During Fiscal Year of Levy (2) $ 244 $ 337 $ 266 $ 411 $ 1,009
(1) Source: Massachusetts Department of Revenue.
(2) As of March 31, 2024 for fiscal 2024.
Taking and Sale. Massachusetts law permits a municipality either to sell by public sale (at which the municipality may
become the purchaser) or to take real property for nonpayment of taxes. In either case the property owner can redeem the
property by paying the unpaid taxes, with interest and other charges, but if the right of redemption is not exercised within
six months (which may be extended an additional year in the case of certain installment payments), it can be foreclosed by
petition to the Land Court. Upon foreclosure, a tax title purchased or taken by the municipality becomes a “tax possession”
and may be held and disposed of in the same manner as other land held for municipal purposes.
Sale of Tax Receivables. Cities and towns are authorized to sell delinquent property tax receivables by public sale or
auction, either individually or in bulk.
TOWN FINANCES
Budget and Appropriation Process
The annual appropriations of the Town are ordinarily made at the annual meeting which takes place in May. Appropriations
may also be voted at special meetings. The Finance Committee (or the Board of Selectmen if authorized by by-law or if
there is no committee) is required to submit a budget of proposed expenditures at the annual Town meeting.
Under certain circumstances and subject to certain limits and requirements, the city council of a city, upon the recommendation
of the mayor, may transfer amounts appropriated for the use of one department (except for a municipal light department or a
school department) to another appropriation for the same department or for the use of any other department. In a town, town
meeting may at any time vote to transfer any amount previously appropriated to any other authorized use by law, and, under
certain circumstances and subject to certain limits and requirements, the selectmen of a town, with the concurrence of the finance
committee, may transfer amounts appropriated for the use of any department to any other appropriation for the same department
or to any other department.
Water and sewer department expenditures are generally included in the budgets adopted by city councils and town meetings
but electric and gas department funds may be appropriated by the municipal light boards. Under certain legislation any city
or town which accepts the legislation may provide that the appropriation for the operating costs of any department may be
offset, in whole or in part, by estimated receipts from fees charged for services provided by the department. It is assumed
that this general provision does not alter the pre-existing power of an electric or gas department to appropriate its own
receipts.
The school budget is limited to the total amount appropriated by the town meeting, but the school committee retains full
power to allocate the funds appropriated. State legislation known as the Education Reform Act of 1993, as amended, imposes
certain minimum expenditure requirements on municipalities with respect to funding for education. The requirements are
determined on the basis of formulas affected by various measures of wealth and income, enrollments, prior levels of local
spending and state aid, and other factors. The Town’s net school spending has always exceeded the minimum required local
contribution.
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State and county assessments, abatements in excess of overlays, principal and interest not otherwise provided for, and final
judgments are included in the tax levy whether or not included in the budget. Revenues are not required to be set forth in
the budget, but estimated non-tax revenues are taken into account by the assessors in fixing the tax levy.
Budget Comparison
The following table sets forth the actual budgets for fiscal years 2024-2020:
Category 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020
Property Taxes $ 93,691,340 $ 90,361,116 $ 85,687,763 $ 83,137,806 $ 79,110,045
State Aid 11,539,764 10,697,742 9,328,290 9,722,010 9,368,213
Local Receipts 9,250,000 8,800,000 8,800,000 7,437,043 7,378,804
Interfund Transfers 8,515,030 5,848,617 6,033,429 3,093,236 4,364,138
Total Available Revenue $122,996,134 $115,707,475 $109,849,482 $103,390,095 $100,221,200
Appropriations
General Government Services $ 5,880,427 $ 5,938,926 $ 5,056,847 $ 4,357,672 $ 4,471,316
Public Safety Services 13,993,407 13,307,673 12,672,829 12,403,746 12,251,892
Educational Services 53,490,543 50,658,405 47,792,662 46,186,271 44,114,362
Public Works Service 2,860,885 2,656,168 2,556,408 2,453,240 2,383,828
Public Works Fixed Services 3,332,000 3,173,000 3,173,000 2,831,500 2,751,500
Human Services 1,248,597 1,217,807 1,113,410 1,115,239 1,074,818
Cultural/Recreational Services 2,688,283 2,621,005 2,568,963 2,401,571 2,260,067
Debt Service 4,664,482 4,735,405 4,612,117 4,808,116 4,555,133
Regional Schools 1,820,018 1,653,337 1,492,906 1,497,309 1,468,406
State and County Charges 1,583,586 1,568,333 1,428,426 1,402,515 1,233,217
Employee Benefits 21,978,067 21,290,260 20,819,975 20,006,148 19,279,090
Miscellaneous 2,599,532 2,000,156 1,713,521 1,963,338 1,242,571
Subtotal 116,139,827 110,820,475 105,001,064 101,426,665 97,086,200
Capital/Articles 6,856,307 4,887,000 4,848,418 1,963,429 3,135,000
Total Appropriations $122,996,134 $115,707,475 $109,849,482 $103,390,095 $100,221,200
STATE AID
In addition to grants for specified capital purposes (some of which are payable over the life of the bonds issued for the
projects) the Commonwealth provides financial assistance to cities and towns for current purposes. Payments to cities and
towns are derived primarily from a percentage of the State’s personal income, sales and use and corporate excise tax receipts,
together with the net receipts from the State Lottery. A municipality’s state aid entitlement is based on a number of different
formulas, of which the “schools” and “lottery” formulas are the most important. Both of the major formulas tend to provide
more state aid to poorer communities. The formulas for determining a municipality’s state aid entitlement are subject to
amendment by the state legislature and, while a formula might indicate that a particular amount of state aid is owed, the amount
of state aid actually paid is limited to the amount appropriated by the state legislature. The State annually estimates state aid,
but the actual state aid payments may vary from the estimate.
The following table sets forth the amount of state aid to the Town in recent years as well as the amount budgeted for 2024:
Fiscal Total
Year State Aid (1)
2024 (budgeted) $25,412,204
2023 25,311,080
2022 25,579,266
2021 26,716,813
2020 25,906,811
2019 22,613,720
___________________
(1) Includes all funds, not just General Funds.
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State School Building Assistance Program
Under its school building assistance program, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts provides grants to cities, towns and
regional school districts for school construction projects. Until July 26, 2004, the State Board of Education was responsible
for approving grants for school projects and otherwise administering the program. Grant amounts ranged from 50% to 90%
of approved project costs. Municipalities generally issued bonds to finance the entire project cost, and the Commonwealth
disbursed the grants in equal annual installments over the term of the related bonds.
Pursuant to legislation which became effective on July 26, 2004, the state legislature created the Massachusetts School
Building Authority (the “Authority”) to finance and administer the school building assistance program. The Authority has
assumed all powers and obligations of the Board of Education with respect to the program. In addition to certain other
amounts, the legislation dedicates a portion of Commonwealth sales tax receipts to the Authority to finance the program.
The range of reimbursement rates for new project grant applications submitted to the Authority is between 31% and 80%
of approved project costs. The Authority promulgated new regulations with respect to the application and approval process
for projects submitted after July 1, 2007. The Authority expects to pay grants for such projects as project costs are incurred
pursuant to project funding agreements between the Authority and the municipalities. None of the interest expense incurred
on debt issued by municipalities to finance their portion of the costs of new projects will be included in the approved project
costs eligible for reimbursement.
The Town received a grant from the Authority representing 61% of approved construction and interest costs of the Luce
School project to be payable in equal installments over the life of the bonds.
MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE
An excise is imposed on the registration of motor vehicles (subject to exemptions) at a uniform rate of $25 per $1,000 of
valuation. The excise is collected by and for the benefit of the municipality in which the motor vehicle is kept. Valuations
are determined by a statutory formula based on manufacturer’s list price and year of manufacture. Bills are payable within
30 days of their issue, and when not paid when due bear interest at 12 per cent per annum. Provision is also made for
suspension of registration by the registrar of motor vehicles, who may also, after a hearing, suspend the owner’s operating
license.
The following table sets forth the amount of motor vehicle excise taxes received In each of the most’recent fiscal years
and budgeted amount for fiscal 2024:
Fiscal Motor
Year Excise Taxes
2024 (budgeted) $4,850,000
2023 5,290,490
2022 5,014,394
2021 5,057,570
2020 4,560,311
2019 4,903,303
OTHER TAXES
Four additional sources of revenue for local governments are the room occupancy excise tax, local meals excise tax, aviation
fuel tax and marijuana tax. All of these taxes take effect only where accepted by individual municipalities.
The Town has voted to accept the room occupancy excise tax and the local meals excise tax. Under the room occupancy
excise tax, local governments may tax the provision of hotel, motel, lodging house and bed and breakfast rooms at a rate
not to exceed six percent of the cost of renting such rooms. The tax is paid by the operator of the hotel, motel, lodging
house or bed and breakfast rooms to the State Commissioner of Revenue, who in turn pays the tax back to the municipality
in which the rooms are located.
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The local meals excise tax is a three-fourths percent tax on the gross receipts of a vendor from the sale of restaurant meals.
The tax is paid by the vendor to the State Commissioner of Revenue, who in turn pays the tax to the municipality in which
the meal was sold.
The following table sets forth the amount of occupancy and meals excise taxes received in each of the most recent fiscal
years and the budgeted amount for fiscal 2024:
Meals
Fiscal Occupancy Excise
Year Tax Tax
2024 (budgeted) $287,500 $115,000
2023 486,134 537,469
2022 270,584 447,672
2021 129,655 292,158
2020 205,264 363,428
2019 226,657 391,091
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT
The Massachusetts Community Preservation Act (the “CPA”) permits cities and towns that accept its provisions to levy a
surcharge on its real property tax levy, dedicate revenue (other than state or federal funds), and to receive state matching
funds for (i) the acquisition, creation, preservation, rehabilitation and restoration of land for recreational use, open space,
and community housing and (ii) the acquisition, preservation, rehabilitation and restoration of historic resources. The
provisions of the CPA must be accepted by the voters of the city or town at an election after such provisions have first been
accepted by either a vote of the legislative body of the city or town or an initiative petition signed by 5% of its registered
voters.
A city or town may approve a surcharge of up to 3% (but not less than 1% under certain circumstances) and may make an
additional commitment of funds by dedicating revenue other than state or federal funds, provided that the total funds
collected do not exceed 3% of the real property tax levy, less any exemptions adopted (such as an exemption for low-income
individuals and families and for low and moderate-income senior citizens, an exemption for $100,000 of the value of each
taxable parcel of residential real property or $100,000 of the value of each taxable parcel of class three, commercial property,
and class four, industrial property as defined in Chapter 59, Section 2A of the General Laws, and an exemption for
commercial and industrial properties in cities and towns with classified tax rates). In the event that the municipality shall
no longer dedicate all or part of the additional funds to community preservation, the surcharge on the real property tax levy
of not less than 1% shall remain in effect, provided that any such change must be approved pursuant to the same process as
acceptance of the CPA. The surcharge is not counted in the total taxes assessed for the purpose of determining the permitted
levy amount under Proposition 2½ (see “Tax Limitations” under “TAX LEVIES” above). A city or town may revoke its
acceptance of the provisions of the CPA at any time after 5 years from the date of such acceptance and may change the
amount of the surcharge or the exemptions to the surcharge at any time, including reducing the surcharge to 1% and
committing additional municipal funds as outlined above, provided that any such revocation or change must be approved
pursuant to the same process as acceptance of the CPA.
Any city or town that accepts the provisions of the CPA will receive annual state matching grants to supplement amounts
raised by its surcharge and dedication of revenue. The state matching funds are raised from certain recording and filing fees
of the registers of deeds. Those amounts are deposited into a state trust fund and are distributed to cities and towns that
have accepted the provisions of the CPA, which distributions are not subject to annual appropriation by the state legislature.
The amount distributed to each city and town is based on a statutory formula and the total state distribution made to any
city or town may not exceed 100% of the amount raised locally by the surcharge on the real property tax levy.
The amounts raised by the surcharge on real property taxes, the dedication of revenue and amounts received in state
matching funds are required to be deposited in a dedicated community preservation fund. Each city or town that accepts
the provisions of the CPA is required to establish a community preservation committee to study the community preservation
needs of the community and to make recommendations to the legislative body of the city or town regarding the community
preservation projects that should be funded from the community preservation fund. Upon the recommendations of the
committee, the legislative body of the city or town may appropriate amounts from the fund for permitted community
33Source page 50
preservation purposes or may reserve amounts for spending in future fiscal years, provided that at least 10% of the total
annual revenues to the fund must be spent or set aside for open space purposes, 10% for historic resource purposes and 10%
for community housing purposes.
The CPA authorizes cities and towns that accept its provisions to issue bonds and notes in anticipation of the receipt of
surcharge and dedicated revenues to finance community preservation projects approved under the provisions of the CPA.
Bonds and notes issued under the CPA are general obligations of the city or town and are payable from amounts on deposit
in the community preservation fund. In the event that a city or town revokes its acceptance of the provisions of the CPA,
the surcharge shall remain in effect until all contractual obligations incurred by the city or town prior to such revocation,
including the payment of bonds or notes issued under the CPA, have been fully discharged.
In November, 2012, the Town voted to accept the provisions of the Community Preservation Act and began collecting these
funds effective July 1, 2013. The audited balance in the account as of June 30, 2023 was $2,455,103.
INVESTMENTS
Investments of funds of cities and towns, except for trust funds, are generally restricted by Massachusetts General Laws,
Chapter 44, section 55. That statute permits investments of available revenue funds and bond and note proceeds in term
deposits and certificates of deposits of banks and trust companies, in obligations issued or unconditionally guaranteed by
the federal government or an agency thereof with a maturity of not more than one year, in repurchase agreements, with a
maturity of not more than 90 days secured by federal or federal agency securities, in participation units in the Massachusetts
Municipal Depository Trust (“MMDT”), or in shares of SEC-registered money market funds with the highest possible rating
from at least one nationally recognized rating organization.
MMDT is an investment pool created by the Commonwealth. The State Treasurer is the sole trustee and the funds are
managed under contract by an investment firm under the supervision of the State Treasurer’s Office. According to the State
Treasurer the Trust’s investment policy is designed to maintain an average weighted maturity of 90 days or less and is
limited to high-quality, readily marketable fixed income instruments, including U.S. Government obligations and highly-
rated corporate securities with maturities of one year or less.
Trust funds, unless otherwise provided by the donor, may be invested in accordance with section 54 of Chapter 44, which
permits a broader range of investments than section 55, including any bonds or notes that are legal instruments for savings
banks in the Commonwealth. The restrictions imposed by sections 54 and 55 do not apply to city and town retirement
systems.
34Source page 51
UNASSIGNED GENERAL FUND BALANCE AND FREE CASH
Under Massachusetts law an amount known as “free cash” is certified as of the beginning of each fiscal year by the State
Bureau of Accounts and this, together with certain subsequent tax receipts, is used as the basis for subsequent appropriations
from available funds, which are not required to be included in the annual tax levy. Subject to certain adjustments, free cash
is surplus revenue less uncollected and overdue property taxes from prior years. The Town Accountant may certify as
available for appropriation an adjusted free cash figure by adding back those uncollected and overdue property taxes which
are subsequently collected between July 1 and the following March 31 of any year.
The following shows the unassigned general fund balance and free cash for the most recent fiscal years:
Unassigned
July 1, Fund Balance Free Cash
2023 $25,170,933 $10,593,347
2022 22,779,583 8,962,315
2021 22,078,763 8,768,595
2020 19,686,713 6,559,814
2019 17,486,817 5,731,060
Free cash amounts certified for the enterprise funds of the Town as of July 1, 2023 (and not included in the above) are as
follows:
Water $1,176,057
Sewer 3,920,120
Skating Rink 72,889
STABILIZATION FUND
The Town has maintained a Stabilization Fund for several years. Under Massachusetts statutes, funds may be appropriated
from the Fund for any municipal purpose by a two thirds vote of the Town Meeting.
The following is the balance in the account at the end of the most recent fiscal years:
Fiscal Year Balance (1)
2023 $10,303,955
2022 10,026,967
2021 10,060,652
2020 9,393,074
2019 8,490,281
___________________
(1) Included in the Stabilization Fund Balance are funds set aside for the solar facility. The Stabilization Fund is included in the
“Unassigned” General Fund Balance.
35Source page 52
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
City and town employees (other than managerial or confidential employees) are entitled to join unions and to bargain
collectively on questions of wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment. The Town has approximately 751
full and part-time employees, of which approximately 87% belong to unions or other collective bargaining groups as
follows:
Number of Contract
Union Department People Expires (1)
AFSCME, AFL-CIO State DPW, Library, 85 6/30/25
Council 93, Local 362 Planning Board, Secretaries
and Custodians
Administrative Employees Assoc. Various 6 6/30/24
IAFF, AFL-CIO, Local 1580 Fire 55 6/30/24
Canton Police Association, IBPO Police 40 6/30/24
Canton Police Superior Officers Association Police 3 6/30/24
Canton Teachers Association School 298 8/31/25
Canton School Maintenance and
Custodians Association School 24 6/30/24
Canton School Secretaries Association School 20 6/30/24
Cafeteria Personnel School 25 6/30/24
Educational Support Personnel Association School 94 8/31/25
650
___________________
(1) Contracts that are soon to expire are currently in negotiations.
PHYSICAL AND ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS
The Town occupies a land area of approximately 19.38 square miles and is a residential community with significant
commercial and industrial activity. Located in Norfolk County, approximately 18 miles south of downtown Boston, it is
bordered on the east by the Town of Randolph, on the north by the Towns of Milton and Dedham, on the west by the Towns
of Westwood and Norwood and on the south by the Towns of Sharon and Stoughton.
The Town’s location has contributed to its vibrant residential and commercial sectors. Canton enjoys excellent access to
commuter rail service from two Canton MBTA stations. In addition, the Town’s location along Interstate 95/State Highway
Route 128, the Massachusetts “Technology Highway,” provides excellent highway access to many of the Commonwealth’s
high technology firms. Assessed values of single family homes in the Town are currently averaging over $592,017.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The Town takes a pro-active approach to encouraging well-planned economic development. The Town appreciates the
significance of commercial and industrial growth and development (and redevelopment) especially in terms of long-term
fiscal stability. The Town continues its focus on future growth, which is sustainable and complimentary to economic
development including employment opportunities for its residents. Property tax new growth continued to expand in FY
2021, 2022 and 2023 at $1.55 million, $2.4 million and $1.07 million, respectively.
Municipal officials work closely with and receive valuable support from the State Office of Business Development as well
as regional planning support from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). In addition, business advocacy
organizations, such as Canton Association of Business and Industry (CABI), play a vital role.
The Town strives to take full advantage of the latest initiatives and incentives made available to it notably under Chapter
43D for expedited permit approvals and Tax Incremental Financing (TIF). The Town had entered into a Special Tax
Agreement with the new owner of the former Reebok property adding $985,000 in new property tax growth. Spear Street
Capital, an owner of distinctive office properties, purchased Reebok’s former headquarters in March, 2018 and subsequently
sold the property in November of 2020 to the newly merged entity of Tufts Medical and Harvard Community Health, now
Point32Health. Tufts/Harvard has executed a Payment In Lieu of Tax (PILOT) Agreement with the Town, effective for the
36Source page 53
fiscal 2022 tax year. The 30 year PILOT agreement maintains the new and higher equivalent tax amount and provides for
automatic 3% increases annually. The Town recently welcomed a new business, ProDrive Technologies, further increasing
its manufacturing tax base. A building permit has been issued for a new substance abuse treatment center and the Town
continues to work with companies looking to relocate to the Dan Road commercial/industrial area. The Town’s continued
accomplishments in promoting 43D sites in Town are discussed in greater detail below.
The Town’s Economic Development Committee (EDC) is also a special resource. The Town regularly takes advantage of
local talent from the community who specialize in finance, banking, development and real estate.
The Town continues to update and publish an economic development recruitment guide which includes pertinent
information sought by private company CEOs when making siting and expansion decisions. The Select Board published a
new business and community guide and has made that information available online as well.
The Town has surpassed its required 10% affordable housing goal as required by State regulation. The Town has
incorporated a continued affordable housing unit goal, within the Housing Action Plan (2015), to ensure the Town keeps
pace with any new market rate unit starts. The additional affordable housing being provided at the Paul Revere Heritage
Site will further increase the Town’s 40B compliance. At the annual town meeting in May of 2021, an Affordable Housing
Trust was formally established in order to proactively manage and grow affordable housing stock in the Town. The Trust
has engaged a housing production plan consultant and anticipates having a defined strategy for maintaining and increasing
affordable housing in the Town.
The Town was awarded $75,000 in MassDevelopment Site Readiness technical assistance services (by RKG Associates) to
do an economic development study of a large area of the Route 138 corridor. The Select Board also empanelled a multi-
disciplined group of volunteers to help guide the visioning process. The work was completed between June 2019 and
January 2020. Route 138 is Canton’s most heavily traveled arterial, a main location for the Town’s commercial base, and
a location for future development. Generally, the community has expressed a desire for a stronger design identity to create
a sense of place, and destination stores, restaurants, or other community resources as a draw. The Route 138 economic
development study makes recommendations around land use and zoning, aesthetics and sign bylaws, transportation (in
partnership with MassDot) and business recruitment.
The Town continues to invest in infrastructure improvements such as roads, sewers, and water supply facilities, as well as
various municipal and school facility upgrades. These include: the recently completed Metropolis Skating Rink and Bolivar
Community Pool. Consistent with its Energy Reduction Plan, the Town has completed LED lighting upgrades for the
Town’s streetlights and at most municipal and school buildings. The Town also made many thermal energy efficient
improvements in DPW and Fire Station buildings, and Town Hall. These were funded both with Green Communities grants
($386,450 so far) and Town capital funds. In partnership with the State and Eversource, the Town has installed eight electric
charging stations with 16 charging ports which are available to the publice for electric vehicle charging.
In addition, the Town has completed the construction of important water/sewer projects – the new addition to the Pecunit
Water Treatment Plant and $6 million of water main improvements. These water filtration plants will provide state-of-the-
art water filtration capabilities and allow for the use of local source water to reduce operating costs, improve water
availability (including redundancy) and filtrate water for customers with the most technologically advanced system available
today. The sewer project has reduced MWRA treatment costs and limited sewer overflows in environmentally sensitive
areas.
All these projects are necessary to support new economic development and community growth as well as minimize
operational costs resulting from deferred maintenance and inefficient building “infrastructure” including HVAC systems.
These projects also improve safety conditions for the users of municipal and school facilities.
The Town’s commitment to sound economic development is further demonstrated by its partnerships with MAPC, the
Canton Association of Business and Industry, and Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce in coordination with respect to
resource allocation and key planning issues facing the Town. The Town’s Economic Development Committee and Permit
Advisory Committee both provide technical assistance to businesses new to Canton.
37Source page 54
The Town has instituted a Google-based web search device, which identifies Canton as a business friendly community. The
web product highlights, via a series of videos, the Town of Canton as a solid and desirable business and family destination.
The Town’s continued status as a 43D Expedited Permitting Community has benefitted the Town greatly and has led to the
actual designation of many new priority development sites. This 43D designation, which was granted to the Town in 2008,
came with a $150,000 grant to hire a permit specialist who has completed the administrative and organizational work
necessary to implement the issuance of permits via an integrated and automated Town wide permit system which better
serves the public and the Town in terms of real time tracking of permits.
The Town has available a permit guidebook, which lays out the Town’s permitting requirements in an easy to use format.
This was recently updated in 2020. The goal is to identify key requirements and improve communications, saving applicants
time and money. The Permit Advisory Committee has been a successful endeavor by bringing together key permit granting
agency representatives to counsel and guide any proponent of a proposed commercial endeavor. Participation and results
continue to be overwhelmingly positive.
The Town has also published a Tax Incremental Financing Evaluation Policy document designed to provide a rational and
consistent intake evaluation of TIF requests. The new approach allows the Town to quantify and better evaluate any request
to reduce taxes for a business seeking to locate or expand. Also, the Town launched a Payment in Lieu of Taxes Program
(PILOT) that encourages non-taxable property owners to voluntarily participate in the support of public services.
The Town has recently completed a Downtown parking management study, a study of the Washington and Randolph
intersection, and a Complete Streets Prioritization Plan. These reports have led to investments in new road infrastructure,
such as the proposed traffic light and road striping work at the Washington and Randolph intersection.
In cooperation and negotiation with Eversource, the installation of a new power line as part of its Walpole to Holbrook
reliability project yielded a complete upgrade of Walpole Street. The Route 138 Corridor Roadway Improvement project
has completed all segments from Route 128 to Randolph Street. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has
committed over $20.0 million to rehabilitate Route 138 in Canton from the Stoughton town border to the Milton town
border. This project was scheduled to commence in 2022. The Town has completed the under-grounding of all utilities in
the Downtown, including fire alarm.
The Town is in the process of evaluating the opportunities and/or impacts of the South Coast Rail Project which is advancing
through preliminary and environmental design. This Commonwealth initiative would provide rail service from Boston to
Fall River/New Bedford via a route now determined by the Commonwealth, known as the Stoughton Alternative, which
will impact Canton. Recent correspondence from the MBTA indicates that another less impactful option on Canton, called
the Middleboro option, may be more financially feasible than the Stoughton Alternative.
Additionally, regarding Dan Road, the Town has entered into negotiations with Fresenius Kabi, an international drug
compounding company, for a Special Tax Agreement (STA) for a site on Dan Road. Fresenius Kabi is seeking the STA for
an $8.5 million dollar construction project at an existing site on Dan Road. The project is expected to bring eighty jobs to
Canton. The agreement was approved at the May 2017 Annual Town meeting.
Canton’s Master Plan Initiative required a careful review and analysis of existing conditions balanced with a vision for the
future. The work program is designed to enlist public interest and participation in shaping the Town’s future. Workshops,
neighborhood meetings, leadership interviews and community surveys were conducted. The Town has conducted an
extensive public outreach campaign to better assure good attendance at workshops and neighborhood focus groups. Existing
planning, engineering reports and documents have been reviewed and a written report, which summarizes their major issues
and relevant recommendations, was prepared and remains available in the Town. The overall objective of the Master Plan
initiative was to develop a sustainable residential and business development strategy for the Town. The updated Master
Plan was adopted by the Planning Board in April 2020, and is available at www.cantonmasterplan.com.
Another objective of the Master Plan Initiative was to address the often-conflicting goals of economic development and
resource protection. Sustainable development providing for economic growth that is compatible with resource protection
remains an important Town focus. The Town’s approach includes promoting economic development that is supported by
adequate infrastructure. Thus, the dual objectives of the Master Plan Initiative remain to provide for economic growth which
is (1) compatible with resource protection and (2) supported by adequate infrastructure. To ensure this, the Town embarked
on a four-town regional planning initiative, which is still ongoing. The Towns of Canton, Dedham, Norwood and Westwood
share a common watershed and an interlinked highway system. The Towns continue to work together and meet regularly to
38Source page 55
discuss economic development on a regional basis. This regional planning initiative encourages and reminds area towns
that, despite borders, what happens in another neighboring community may have an impact, both positive and potentially
negative, on one another. The Towns plan and communicate to shape growth, protect water resources, transportation
infrastructure and to ensure support and advocacy for growth in the Region to the community’s benefit. This group
continues to pursue state and federal funding for the replacement of the I95/I93 Interchange, a source of safety concerns
and traffic.
The Town’s pro-growth attitude ensures Canton will remain an attractive location for commercial and industrial
development in the future. Recent residential developments include: subdivisions off Indian Way; Mariella Estates (Dedham
Street); McKendry Grove (Green Lodge Street); Yorkshire Estates (Stonewood Drive); The Preserve (off Wayside Lane);
Stillwater Estates (off Indian Lane); Cardinal’s Corner (Larkin Ct.); Beaver Meadow Estates (off Pleasant Street); as well
as condo buildings at 869 Washington Street, at the former Connor’s Wayside Furniture building (Turnpike Street), and
Paul Revere Heritage Site (Revere Street). Residential developments are complemented by commercial developments such
as two new hotels along Royall Street, the Top Golf facility at 777 Dedham Street, and expansions and additions at several
other commercial properties.
The Town’s planning focus includes improvements to the highway system that serves the Town and the region. A
construction contract has been awarded by MassDOT for the I-95/Dedham St. corridor construction project. This $55
million project added a northbound exit ramp off I-95 to Dedham St., thereby improving access to businesses there and
reducing side street traffic generated by the Westwood University Station Project. The ultimate improvements to these
roadways will facilitate and provide transportation capacity for further economic development in the region with improved
safety and efficiency for commuters, suppliers, employees, visitors and customers.
Top Golf opened their first Massachusetts location at 777 Dedham Street in November of 2023. The site has a valuation of
$37,000,000 and has hired over 60 Canton residents. The facility is a large three level golf range with bar and restaurant
facilities. The complex is expected to create up to 500 new jobs, including 125 full-time positions. Massachusetts
Department of Transportation completed major intersection improvements and constructed a new off-ramp proximate to
this development on I-95.
The Town’s long-term lease of its capped landfill of fifteen acres is being used for solar energy production, providing the
Town with guaranteed payments of $20,000 per acre, per year, increasing annually by 2.5%, while allowing the Town the
ability to purchase all the electricity generated by this 5.6 megawatt facility at a substantial savings. The Pine Street Solar
Facility went online August 15, 2012 (one of the largest in the Northeast) and has produced the following financial benefits:
The 68.66 million kWh of solar electricity produced by this facility since its inception has resulted in $14.9 million
of net metering credits which exceeded the $13.0 million paid for generating this solar power.
In addition, the Town has received lease payments totalling $3.75 million over the last 11 years.
Overall, the Town has received an annual financial benefit from this solar facility which has helped in balancing
the Town’s budget along with increasing free cash reserve as follows for the last five fiscal years:
FY 19 - $512,303
FY 20 - $428,574
FY 21 - $401,124
FY 22 - $476,082
FY 23 - $966,209
In 2015 the Town entered into a development agreement with Canton Holdings LLC to redevelop the former Plymouth
Rubber site. The project will create 304 residential units of which 16 will be townhouse units and 288 will be garden style
units. It was recently negotiated by the Select Board to construct 77 more age restricted garden style units that will be age
restricted, in lieu of previously proposed commercial building. The developer has also created community open space and
preserved two historic buildings built by Paul Revere. The Town has acquired the open space. A restaurant, Northern Spy,
is now open in the Rolling Mill Building and a museum is planned for the Revere Barn property.
39Source page 56
Some of the developments recently completed, currently underway or expected to begin in the near future are:
Recently Completed Developments
Name Description Completion Date Anticipated Costs
Royall Development Hotel/Restaurant Spring 2021 $19,200,000
Cardinal’s Corner (Larkin Ct.) Residential Development Fall 2021 4,131,000
Connor’s Wayside (Turnpike St.)Residential Development Spring 2021 4,115,000
Indian Way Residential Development Fall 2021 2,250,000
Paul Revere Heritage Site I Residential Development Winter 2021 10,300,000
Paul Revere Heritage Site II Residential Development Spring 2022 9,329,000
Stillwater Estates Residential Development Fall 2023 17,100,000
Top Golf Commercial Restaurant Fall 2023 8,200,000
TOTAL $74,625,000
Future/In-Progress Developments
Name Description Anticipated Completion Anticipated Costs
Paul Revere Heritage Site III Residential Development On-going 15,000,000
30 Dan Road Commercial On-going 12,800,000
20 Audoborn Way Residential Development On-going 9,000,000
Yorkshire Estates Residential Development On-going 6,949,000
Trillium Brewing – Royal St. Commercial On-going 3,500,000
Mariella Estates (Bullen’s Way) Residential Development On-going 1,200,000
Canton Landing (869 Wash. St.) Residential Development On-going 1,100,000
TOTAL $49,549,000
40Source page 57
Principal Employers
The following are the principal employers, other than the Town itself, located in the Town:
Nature of Approximate
Company Business Current Employees
Destination XL Group Retail/Wholesale 1,000-4,999
Harvard Pilgram Health Care Health Care 1,000-4,999
Medical Information Tech Inc. Hospital Software 1,000-4,999
Baskin-Robbins LLC Food and Beverages 500-999
Computershare Investor Svc Operations Center/Transfer Agents 500-999
Organogensis Inc. Regenerative Medicine 500-999
Boston Mutual Insurance Insurance Sales and Service 250-499
Lo Jack Tracking and Recovery Systems 250-499
Massasoit Community Clg-Canton Community College 250-499
Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital Pediatric Hospital 250-499
___________________
Source: Massachusetts Department of Economic Research
Employment and Payrolls
Average Average Weekly
Industry Establishments Employment Wage ($)
Total, All Industries 1,195 23,516 1,819
Construction 141 4,065 2,246
Manufacturing 49 1,423 1,343
Wholesale Trade 103 2,079 2,460
Retail Trade 80 837 878
Transportation and Warehousing 32 324 1,378
Finance and Insurance 46 3,730 2,023
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 42 416 1,670
Professional and Technical Services 155 1,736 2,240
Management of Companies and Enterprises 14 1,348 2,377
Administrative and Waste Services 60 890 1,923
Educational Services 30 1,000 1,344
Health Care and Social Assistance 197 2,142 1,032
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 23 443 518
Accomodation and Food Services 58 708 575
Other Services, Except Public Administration 118 1,017 1,573
Public Administration 20 521 1,697
Source: Mass. Dept of Economic Research, Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, 2022 Data
41Source page 58
Building Permits
Calendar
Year Number Estimated Value
2024 (as of April 1, 2024) 300 $ 19,276,112
2023 1,437 88,271,024
2022 1,554 137,367,921
2021 1,530 130,676,329
2020 1,174 124,553,403
2019 1,249 82,112,913
Employment (1)
Unemployment Rate
Year Labor Force Employed Town County State U.S.
2024 (1) 12,969 12,544 3.3 % 3.2 % 2.9 % 3.9 %
2023 12,943 12,562 2.9 2.8 3.4 3.6
2022 12,893 12,441 3.5 3.3 3.8 3.6
2021 12,776 12,156 4.9 5.0 5.5 5.3
2020 12,774 11,707 8.4 8.8 9.4 8.1
2019 13,050 12,699 2.7 2.6 3.0 3.7
(1) month of February, not seasonally adjusted for Town and County
Sources: Mass.Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (Town, County) and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (State, U.S.)
42Source page 59
OTHER DATA
Canton Massachusetts United States
Recent Population Estimate (2022) 24,609 6,981,974 333,287,557
Census Population:
2020 24,370 7,029,917 331,449,281
2010 21,561 6,547,629 308,745,538
2000 20,775 6,349,097 281,421,906
1990 18,530 6,016,425 248,709,873
Inter-Census Population Growth:
2020 13.03% 7.37% 7.35%
2010 3.78% 3.13% 9.71%
2000 12.12% 5.53% 13.15%
Population Per Square Mile:
2020 1,300 901 94
2010 1,147 839 87
Median Age:
2022 43.1 40.3 39.0
Persons under 18 years, 2022 21.9% 19.2% 21.7%
Persons over 65 years, 2022 19.6% 18.1% 17.3%
Persons per Household 2.48 2.46 2.57
Annual Median Household Income:
2018-22 Average (in 2022 dollars) $130,134 $96,505 $75,149
Annual Per Capita Income:
2018-22 Average (in 2022 dollars) $71,858 $53,513 $41,261
Total Retail Sales Per Capita, 2017 $15,514 $16,055 $15,224
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2018-22 $636,800 $483,900 $281,900
In civilian labor force, age 16+, 2018-22 65.8% 67.0% 63.0%
High School Graduate or Higher, age 25+, 2018-22 96.3% 91.2% 89.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher, age 25+, 2018-22 61.9% 45.9% 34.3%
Owner-occupied housing unit rate, 2018-22 75.7% 62.4% 64.8%
Persons in Poverty (2022) 5.1% 10.4% 11.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
43Source page 60
Public School Enrollments (1)
Actual Projected
2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Pre K – 4 1,329 1,198 1,203 1,262 1,365 1,350
Grades 5 – 8 1,023 1,018 1,043 992 981 996
Grades 9 – 12 984 957 903 895 925 930
Ungraded 61 52 79 70 70 70
Total 3,397 3,225 3,228 3,219 3,341 3,346
___________________
(1) Source: Massachusetts Dept. of Education – As of October 1, each school year.
School Facilities
School Capacity October 2023 Enrollment
Canton High School 1,000 931
Galvin Middle School 800 742
Hansen Elementary 544 536
Kennedy Elementary 528 457
Luce Elementary 584 477
Rodman Pre-School 150 134
3,606 3,277
The Town is currently conducting studies to assess capacity needs.
LITIGATION
At present there are a number of suits pending in which the Town is a defendant. In the opinion of the Town, none of the
pending litigation is considered likely to result, either individually or in the aggregate, in final judgments which would
materially affect the Town’s financial position.
TOWN OF CANTON
Massachusetts
By: /s/ William R. Scollins, III
Finance Director/Treasurer
Dated: May 21, 2024
44Source page 61
APPENDIX A
The following Balance Sheets for fiscal years ending June 30, 2019 through 2023, and the Comparative Statements of
Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balances for fiscal years ending June 30, 2019 through 2023, have been taken
from the audited financial statements of the Town.
The Town engaged Roselli, Clark & Associates, Certified Public Accountants, to audit the accounts for the Town for the
years ending June 30, 2019 through 2023. The June 30, 2023 audit is reproduced in Appendix B.
Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting
The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting has been awarded to the Town by the Government
Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report
(ACFR) for the 17 consecutive years of June 30, 2006 through June 30, 2022. The Certificate of Achievement is the highest
form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant
accomplishment by a government and its management.
A-1Source page 62
TOWN OF CANTON
MASSACHUSETTS
GENERAL FUND
Balance Sheet (1)
June 30,
2023 2022 2021 2020 2019
Assets
Cash and Cash Equivalents $35,405,770 $32,328,672 $25,573,300 $ 7,214,365 $17,212,144
Investments 10,171,559 9,940,112 9,958,972 9,327,093 7,150,877
Receivables, net of uncollectibles:
Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes 741,651 645,984 629,391 1,466,488 350,494
Tax Liens and Foreclosres 1,663,537 1,645,968 1,530,013 1,165,361 1,311,710
Motor Vehicle Excise Taxes 506,242 530,998 609,781 736,262 379,470
Intergovernmental 0 33,089 65,119 504,594 1,341,647
Due from Other Funds 0 976,550 751,282 1,687,641 854,784
Leases 4,801,273 4,290,283 0 0 0
Other Assets / Pre Paid Items 0 0 0 115,915 15,376
Total Assets $53,290,032 $50,391,656 $39,117,858 $32,217,719 $28,616,502
Liabilities and Fund Equity
Liabilities
Warrants and Accounts Payable $ 1,633,787 $ 1,638,317 $ 1,614,086 $ 1,403,487 $ 1,334,850
Accrued Payroll and Witholdings 5,662,998 7,386,764 4,838,560 4,713,867 3,709,311
Tax Refunds Payable 3,777,791 2,984,763 1,076,407 426,773 470,796
Other Liabilities 1,141,795 1,257,816 1,218,014 7,314 39,489
Total Liabilities $12,216,371 $13,267,660 $ 8,747,067 $ 6,551,441 $ 5,554,446
Liabilities and Fund Equity
Unavailable Revenues- Property Taxes 1,967,232 2,172,332 1,635,418 2,119,816 1,459,388
Unavailable Revenues – Motor Vehicle Excise 506,242 530,998 609,781 736,262 375,283
Unavailable Revenues – Intergovernmental 0 33,089 65,119 504,594 1,341,647
Unavailale Revenues – Leases 4,801,273 4,290,283 0 0 0
Unavailable Revenues – Other 0 0 0 0 0
Total Deferred Inflows of Resources $ 7,274,747 $ 7,026,702 $ 2,310,318 $ 3,360,672 $ 3,176,318
Fund Balances
Nonspendable $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 115,915 $ 15,376
Restricted 0 0 0 0 15,918
Committed 4,029,719 3,628,842 1,108,984 1,148,811 1,026,447
Assigned 4,598,262 3,688,869 4,872,726 1,354,167 1,599,273
Unassigned 25,170,933 22,779,583 22,078,763 19,686,713 17,224,537
Total Fund Balances $33,798,914 $30,097,294 $28,060,473 $22,305,606 $19,881,551
Total Liabilities, Deferred Inflows of
Resources, and Fund Balances $53,290,032 $50,391,656 $39,117,858 $32,217,719 $28,612,315
___________________
(1) Excerpts from audited financial statements prepared by Roselli, Clark & Associates, Certified Public Accountants.
A-2Source page 63
TOWN OF CANTON
MASSACHUSETTS
Combined Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balances (1)
General Fund
(000 omitted)
Revenues 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019
Property Taxes $ 89,550 $ 84,527 $ 81,134 $ 78,318 $ 76,035
Payment in Lieu of Taxes 1,937 1,883 282 254 243
Tax Liens 223 149 221 235 221
Excises 5,290 5,014 5,058 4,560 4,903
Hotel and Meals Taxes 1,024 718 422 569 618
Penalties and Interest 314 285 382 240 284
Departmental and Other 1,567 1,009 1,173 937 1,560
Licenses and Permits 1,726 1,610 1,945 1,422 1,258
Intergovernmental - State 18,591 16,885 22,800 21,021 18,502
Fines and Forfeits 58 39 53 55 87
Earnings on Investments 1,955 214 832 1,299 660
Total Revenues 122,235 112,334 117,300 108,910 104,370
Expenditures
General Government 4,475 4,149 4,058 4,092 4,269
Public Safety 14,365 13,611 12,364 12,738 11,928
Education 53,052 50,500 47,002 46,109 44,481
Public Works 7,784 6,402 6,471 5,886 5,801
Human Services 1,147 1,090 985 1,007 977
Culture and Recreation 2,546 2,558 2,241 2,250 2,192
Debt Service 4,765 4,568 4,282 4,571 4,661
Intergovernmental Charges 1,513 1,462 1,425 1,187 1,231
Employee Benefits 13,992 13,730 13,626 13,315 13,014
Pension Benefits 14,084 13,094 18,872 16,801 14,173
Total Expenditures 117,724 111,164 112,226 107,956 102,728
Excess (Deficiency) of Revenues Over
Expenditures 4,511 1,170 5,075 954 1,642
Other Financing Sources (Uses)
Premium from Issuance of Debt 0 0 245 0 84
Proceeds from Refunding Bonds 0 0 2,060 0 1,398
Payments of Refunded Bonds 0 0 (2,305) 0 (1,482)
Operating Transfers - In 1,292 1,878 1,311 1,970 1,477
Operating Transfers - Out (2,102) (1,011) (631) (875) (2,745)
Total Other Financing Sources (Uses) (810) 867 680 1,095 (1,268)
Net Change in Fund Balance 3,702 2,037 5,755 2,049 375
Fund Balance – Beginning 30,097 28,060 23,306 20,257 19,882
Fund Balance - Ending $ 33,799 $ 30,097 $ 28,060 $ 23,306 $ 20,257
___________________
(1) Excerpts from audited financial statements of the Town. Totals may not add due to rounding.
A-3Source page 64
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APPENDIX B There follows in this Appendix the audited financial statements of the Town of Canton, Massachusetts, as of June 30, 2023 prepared by Roselli, Clark & Associates, Certified Public Accountants. The attached report speaks only as of its date, and only to the matters expressly set forth therein. The auditors have not been engaged to review this Official Statement or to perform audit procedures regarding the post-audit period, nor have the auditors been requested to give their consent to the inclusion of their report in this Report. Except as stated in their report, the auditors have not been engaged to verify the financial information set out in this Report and are not passing upon and do not assume responsibility for the sufficiency, accuracy or completeness of the financial information presented.
Source page 66
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APPENDIX B
TOW NOFCANTON,M ASSACHUSETTS
»
"m GUEST 7
* -
“ie,
INNING
LITTLE LEAGUE
MASSACHUSETTS
CHAMPIONS
ANNUAL COM PREHENSIVE
FINANCIAL REPORT
For the F iscalY ear
July 1, 2022 — June 30, 2023
[Original embedded text, retained for comparison]
APPENDIX B
TOWN OF CANTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE
FINANCIAL REPORT
For the Fiscal Year
July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023Source page 68
On the cover and below : C ongratulations to the C anton L ittle L eague w ho exhibited w hat team w ork is allaboutby w inning theM assachusetts L ittle L eague C ham pionship this past sum mer. The toumam entended w ith a 6 — 2 victory overB amstable for the firstever S tate cham pionship forC anton. Photo credits: C anton C itizen andM ike Toreski ate : ene ae _l ii ae [Original embedded text, retained for comparison] On the cover and below: Congratulations to the Canton Little League who exhibited what teamwork is all about by winning the Massachusetts Little League Championship this past summer. The tournament ended with a 6 – 2 victory over Barnstable for the first ever State championship for Canton. Photo credits: Canton Citizen and Mike Toreski
Source page 69
Town of Canton, Massachusetts
Annual Comprehensive Financial Report
For the Fiscal Year
July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023
Prepared by the Finance DepartmentSource page 70
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TOWN OF CANTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ANNUAL COMPRHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT
YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page(s)
INTRODUCTORY SECTION
Letter of Transmittal ......................................................................................................................... B-1
Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.................................................. B-12
Organizational Chart Town .............................................................................................................. B14
Organizational Chart Schools ........................................................................................................... B-15
Principal Town Officials ..................................................................................................................B-16
FINANCIAL SECTION
Independent Auditor’s Report ....................................................................................................... B-19
Management’s Discussion and Analysis ....................................................................................... B-23
Basic Financial Statements:
Statement of Net Position .......................................................................................................... B-36
Statement of Activities............................................................................................................... B-37
Balance Sheet – Governmental Funds ....................................................................................... B-38
Reconciliation of the Governmental Funds Balance Sheet Total Fund Balances to
the Statement of Net Position ............................................................................................ B-39
Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balances –
Governmental Funds ........................................................................................................... B-40
Reconciliation of the Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund
Balances of Governmental Funds to the Statement of Activities ...................................... B-41
Statement of Net Position – Proprietary Funds .......................................................................... B-42
Statement of Revenues, Expenses, and Changes in Net Position – Proprietary Funds.............. B-43
Statement of Cash Flows – Proprietary Funds ........................................................................... B-44
Statement of Fiduciary Net Position .......................................................................................... .B-45
Statement of Changes in Fiduciary Net Position ....................................................................... B-46
Notes to Basic Financial Statements ....................................................................................... ...B-47
Required Supplementary Information:
Schedule of the Town’s Proportionate Share of the Net Pension Liability ...............................B- 80
Schedule of the Town’s Contribution to Pension Plan .............................................................. B-80
Schedule of the Commonwealth’s Collective Share of Net Pension Liability –
Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System ...................................................................... B-81
Schedule of Changes in Net OPEB Liability and Related Ratios .............................................. B-82
Schedule of Contributions to OPEB Plan .................................................................................. B-83
Schedule of Investment Returns – OPEB Plan .......................................................................... B-83
Schedule of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balances – Budget and6
Actual – General Fund .................................................................................................... ...B-84
Notes to Required Supplementary Information ...................................................................... ...B-87Source page 72
TOWN OF CANTON, MASSACHUSETTS
ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT
YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page(s)
FINANCIAL SECTION (continued)
Combining Statements:
Nonmajor Governmental Funds ............................................................................................ ....B-90
Combining Balance Sheet – Nonmajor Governmental Funds ........................................ ....B-92
Combining Statement of Revenues, Expenditures, and Changes in Fund
Balances – Nonmajor Governmental Funds ........................................................... ....B-96
Internal Service Funds .............................................................................................................. B-100
Combining Statement of Net Position – Internal Service Funds ...................................... B-101
Combining Statement of Revenues, Expenses and Changes in Net Position –
Internal Service Funds ............................................................................................. ......B-102
Combining Statement of Cash Flows – Internal Service Funds ....................................... B-103
STATISTICAL SECTION
Narrative .......................................................................................................................................... B-107
Net Position by Component – Last Ten Fiscal Years...................................................................... B-108
Changes in Net Position – Last Ten Fiscal Years ....................................................................... ....B-109
Fund Balances, Governmental Funds – Last Ten Fiscal Years ....................................................... B-111
Changes in Fund Balances, Governmental Funds – Last Ten Fiscal Years .................................... B-112
Assessed Value and Estimated Actual Value of Taxable Property By Classification
and Tax Rates – Last Ten Fiscal Years ............................................................................. B-113
Direct Property Tax Rates – Last Ten Fiscal Years ........................................................................ B-114
Principal Taxpayers – Current Year and Nine Years Ago .............................................................. B-115
Property Tax Levies and Collections – Last Ten Fiscal Years........................................................ B-116
Ratios of Outstanding Debt by Type – Last Ten Fiscal Years ........................................................ B-117
Ratios of General Bonded Debt Outstanding .................................................................................. B-118
Computation of Legal Debt Margin – Last Ten Fiscal Years ......................................................... B-119
Direct and Overlapping Governmental Activities Debt .................................................................. B-120
Demographic and Economic Statistics – Last Ten Fiscal Years ..................................................... B-121
Principal Employers (Excluding Town) – Current Year and Nine Years Ago ............................... B-122
Full-time Equivalent Town Employees by Functions – Last Ten Fiscal Years .............................. B-123
Operating Indicators by Function/Program – Last Ten Fiscal Years .............................................. B-124
Capital Asset Statistics by Function/Program – Last Ten Fiscal Years .......................................... B-125Source page 73
INTRODUCTORY SECTION Above: A bell cast in 1834 by the Paul Revere Foundry finally made its way home after a 188-year trip across the United States. It was originally ordered by a Church in Ohio and owned subsequently by two other churches until it was sold to Jeannene and Robert Shanks in the early 1980s and shipped to California. Upon the owner’s death, the daughter, Amy Shanks Miller and her brother Robert Shanks kept the bell in storage for 2 decades until donating it to the Paul Revere Museum of Discovery and Innovation and finally completing its journey home to Canton.
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Town of Canton, Massachusetts
OFFICE OF THE SELECT BOARD
SELECT BOARD POLICE COMMISSIONERS
UPPER MEMORIAL HALL BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
801 WASHINGTON STREET LICENSING BOARD
TEL: (781) 821-5000 CANTON MA 02021
FAX: (781) 821-2935 TOWN ADMINISTRATOR
Email: townadmin@town.canton.ma.us CHARLES E. DOODY
Letter of Transmittal
December 20, 2023
Honorable Select Board and Citizens of the Town of Canton, Massachusetts:
I am pleased to acknowledge that the Town of Canton has completed its eighteenth consecutive Annual
Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR). The report is for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, and I am
proud that we have continued this annual tradition of preparing a report that communicates to our
constituents and investors the highest degree of transparency in financial reporting for municipalities.
The Town is responsible for the accuracy, completeness and fairness of the data presented in the ACFR.
This letter of transmittal and the management’s discussion and analysis, located in the financial section
of the ACFR, provide a comprehensive financial overview of the Town and ensure that the financial and
general operations of Town government remain open for easy viewing.
The ACFR represents a complete set of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles in the United States of America (GAAP), that are audited in accordance with
generally accepted auditing standards by a firm of licensed certified public accountants. This ACFR
meets and exceeds those requirements and presents itself as an informative resource for all those
interested in the financial activities of the Town.
The report is designed to be used by the elected and appointed officials of the Town and others who are
concerned with its management and progress such as bond analysts, banking institutions and rating
agencies as well as the citizens and taxpayers of the Town of Canton.
Since the report consists of management’s representations concerning the finances of the Town,
management assumes full responsibility for the completeness and reliability of all of the information
presented. In addition, management of the Town is responsible for establishing and maintaining an
internal control structure designed to ensure the assets of the Town are protected from loss, theft or
misuse and to ensure that adequate accounting data is compiled to allow for the preparation of financial
statements in conformity with GAAP. Because the cost of internal controls should not outweigh their
benefits, the Town of Canton’s comprehensive framework of internal controls has been designed to
provide reasonable rather than absolute assurance that the financial statements will be free from material
misstatement.
Town of Canton, Massachusetts B-1 Annual Comprehensive Financial ReportSource page 76
The Town’s financial statements have been audited by Roselli, Clark and Associates, a firm of licensed
certified public accountants. The goal of the independent audit is to provide reasonable assurance on an
annual basis that the financial statements of the Town are free of material misstatement. The independent
audit involved (1) examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the
financial statements; (2) assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management; and (3) evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. The independent auditor
concluded, based upon the audit, that there was a reasonable basis for rendering an unmodified opinion
that the Town’s financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023 are fairly presented in
conformity with GAAP. The independent auditor’s report is presented as the first component of the
financial section of this report.
The independent audit of the financial statements of the Town was part of a broader, federally mandated
“Single Audit” designed to meet the special needs of federal grantor agencies. The standards governing
Single Audit engagements require the independent auditor to report not only on the fair presentation of
the financial statements, but also on the audited government’s internal controls and compliance with legal
requirements, with special emphasis on internal controls and legal requirements involving the
administration of federal awards. These reports are available in the Town’s separately issued Single Audit
Reports Pursuant to Title 2 of the US “Code of Federal Regulations” (CFR) Part 200, “Uniform
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards”.
GAAP requires that management provide a narrative introduction, overview, and analysis to accompany
the basic financial statements in the form of Management’s Discussion and Analysis (MD&A). This letter
of transmittal is designed to complement that analysis and should be read in conjunction with it. The
MD&A can be found immediately following the report of the independent auditors.
Profile of the Town
Canton was incorporated as a Town in 1797. The Town is located in eastern Massachusetts,
approximately 18 miles southwest of Boston, has a population of approximately 23,000 and a land area of
approximately 19 square miles. It is situated at the junction of Interstates 95 and 93, with access to Routes
24 and 138, providing an excellent location for residents, businesses and commuters.
Town of Canton, Massachusetts B-2 Annual Comprehensive Financial ReportSource page 77
MBTA commuter rail trains on the Providence/Stoughton Line pass through Canton. Some stop at Canton
Junction. This line crosses the Neponset River on the Canton Viaduct, a prominent local landmark. Route
128 Station in neighboring Westwood also carries many Canton commuters into Boston. Amtrak trains
(including the Acela Express high-speed trains) also stop at Route 128 but pass-through Canton without
stopping. Another line branches into Stoughton, stopping at Canton Center. Bus service is available to
Mattapan Station in the MBTA system, and Canton’s close proximity to Boston also places it within a
reasonable distance from Logan International Airport, the largest transportation center in New England.
The Town has a rich and varied industrial heritage, serving as the location of Paul Revere’s copper rolling
mills in post-Colonial times, and as the site of woolen manufacturing in more recent times. Present
commercial enterprises play a key role in the Town’s fiscal stability and are considered a major asset to
the community. The prime commercial areas are well located so as to allow direct highway access
without affecting the community’s small-town charm.
In August 2020, the Massachusetts legislature passed enabling legislation creating the Revere & Son
Heritage Trust Corporation, a quasi-public/private corporation. The mission of the Corporation is to
establish an open-to-the-public Paul Revere Museum (PRM) of Discovery and Innovation and Paul
Revere Heritage site. The PRM is currently under development on the grounds of the site - a nine-acre
park along the Neponset River created with trails connecting two train stations, and adjacent to 272 new
units of housing. A new bridge with traffic signal provides additional access to the site from Neponset
street. The site features waterfalls, a mill pond, walkways with interpretive signage, and two 19th century
buildings built by Revere and his family - the Copper Rolling Mill and the 174-year old Historic Horse
Barn. The Barn will be a unique museum for history, technology, and learning. The first floor of the
Copper Mill hosts a fine dining restaurant, Northern Spy, serving New England fare. The Second Floor
known as Copper Mill Hall, provides an attractive flexible use space for functions, meetings, and
historical displays
Many of the Town’s lakes, ponds and wetlands have been protected and preserved for present enjoyment
and future generations. Among the protected areas are the Eleanor Cabot Bradley Reservation, an 82-acre
estate that blends open fields, woodlands and gardens in the shadow of Great Blue Hill and Pequitside
Farm, a town-owned 38-acre conservation and recreation area which offers playing fields, picnicking,
hiking and cross-country skiing.
The Town offers a full range of traditional municipal services including police and fire protection,
ambulance and rescue services, education, maintenance of streets and infrastructure, solid waste
collection and disposal, health and human services, cultural and recreational, administrative and financial
services. The Town is a member community of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA)
for its water and sewer services.
Canton prides itself on its quality school system. Canton students consistently perform well on national
and state tests and over 90% of students graduating from the high school go on to higher education. The
Town is the location of the Blue Hills Regional Technical School which provides expanded vocational
education opportunities for high school students of Canton and eight other area communities. Canton is
also home to one of the two campuses of Massasoit Community College. The campus is a multi-level
facility with specialized labs and art studios that support the technical and visual arts programs of the
College. The campus also includes the Milton Art Museum, Akillian Gallery and the College’s
Professional Development Center.
An elected, five-member School Committee appoints a School Superintendent who administers the public
school system of the Town. School Committee members, like the Select Board, are elected at-large to
three-year staggered terms.
Town of Canton, Massachusetts B-3 Annual Comprehensive Financial ReportSource page 78
About a decade ago, the Town reached its 10% affordable housing requirement mandated by the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Commonwealth), which is an important milestone as communities
under the 10% threshold are subject to an appeal process that can overturn local zoning board decisions.
This has allowed the Town to maintain its commitment to developing much needed affordable housing
units in areas of the Town that can accommodate the growth.
The Town operates under the Select Board, Town Administrator, and Open Town Meeting form of
government. The five elected Select Board members make policy decisions, and the Town Administrator
is responsible for carrying out the policies of the Select Board and for managing the day-to-day operations
of the Town. The policies and procedures of the Select Board are detailed in the administrative code that
will continue to evolve and be created over time to best serve the community.
An annual operating budget is approved by Town Meeting two months prior to the start of the fiscal year.
This annual budget serves as the foundation for the Town’s financial planning and control. The budget is
prepared by fund, function (e.g. general government) and department (e.g. finance) allowing the
department heads to allocate resources within the department as they see fit. Transfers between
departments, however, need special approval by Town Meeting unless specifically exempted by state
statute.
Factors Affecting Economic Condition
Canton continues to take a pro-active approach encouraging well planned economic development. The
Town fully appreciates the significance of commercial and industrial growth and development (and
redevelopment) especially in terms of long-term fiscal stability. The Town continues its focus on future
growth, which is sustainable and “complimentary” for economic development including employment
opportunities for our residents.
Municipal officials continue to work closely with and receive valuable support from the State Office of
Business Development as well as regional planning support from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council
(MAPC). In addition, business advocacy organizations, such as Canton Association of Business and
Industry (CABI) play a vital role. The Town strives to take full advantage of the latest initiatives and
incentives made available to it notably under Chapter 43D for expedited permit approvals and Tax
Incremental Financing (TIF).
The Town’s Economic Development Committee (EDC) is also a special resource. The Town regularly
takes advantage of local talent from the community who specialize in finance, banking, development and
real estate.
The Town continues to update and publish an economic development recruitment guide which includes
pertinent information sought by private company CEO’s when making siting and expansion decisions.
Recently, the Select Board published a new business and community guide and has made that information
available online as well.
As previously discussed, the Town surpassed its required 10% affordable housing goal as required by
State regulation. The Town has incorporated a continued affordable housing unit goal, within the Housing
Action Plan, to ensure the Town keeps pace with any new market rate unit starts. Recently the
construction by Avalon Development of additional affordable housing on Randolph Street has further
increased the Town’s 40B compliance. The Town recently voted to establish an Affordable Housing
Trust in order to proactively protect and expand affordable housing units in the Town.
Town of Canton, Massachusetts B-4 Annual Comprehensive Financial ReportSource page 79
The Town’s commitment to sound economic development is further demonstrated by creating
partnerships with MAPC and the Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce to ensure the coordination and
resource allocation on key planning issues facing the Town. The Town reactivated the Economic
Development Committee and created, with Town Meeting, the Permit Advisory Committee both of which
provide technical assistance to new businesses in Canton.
The Town has instituted a Google-based web search device, which identifies Canton as a business-
friendly community. The web product highlights, via a series of videos, the Town of Canton as a solid
and desirable business and family destination. The Town’s continued status as a 43D Expedited
Permitting Community has benefitted the Town greatly and has led to the actual designation of many new
priority development sites. This 43D designation, which was granted to the Town in 2008, came with a
$150,000 grant to hire a permit specialist who has completed the administrative and organizational work
necessary to implement the issuance of permits via an integrated and automated town-wide permit system
which better serves the public and the Town in terms of real time tracking of permits.
The Town has available a permit guidebook, which lays out the Town’s permitting requirements in an
easy-to-use format. The goal is to identify key requirements and improve communications, saving
applicants time and money. The Permit Advisory Committee has been a successful endeavor by bringing
together key permit granting agency representatives to counsel and guide any proponent of a proposed
commercial endeavor. Participation and results continue to be overwhelmingly positive. The Town has
also published a Tax Incremental Financing Evaluation Policy document designed to provide a rational
and consistent intake evaluation of TIF requests. The new approach allows the Town to quantify and
better evaluate any request to reduce taxes for a business seeking to locate or expand. Also, the Town
launched a Payment in Lieu of Taxes Program (PILOT) that encourages non-taxable property owners to
voluntarily participate in the support of public services.
Several years ago, the Town completed construction of the downtown revitalization project commonly
referred to as the Streetscape Improvement Project. This work was funded as a result of a $2.6 million
dollar Commonwealth grant received due to the Town’s Smart Growth efforts and re-zoning of the
Downtown.
In addition, the Town
completed safety and
efficiency improvement
work on two key
intersections ($2.2 million-
dollar Commonwealth
grant) located in the heart of
the Route 138 business
district. These intersections
are located at the Randolph
and Washington Street
Intersections with Route
138. These projects have
improved both the safety
and efficiency of this commercial roadway. The Select Board has also designated a multi-disciplined
group of volunteers who have completed a visioning process which has led to a variety of re-zoning
recommendations with a goal of improving the business climate and enhance zoning flexibility to spur
additional economic development potential along this vital commercial roadway.
Town of Canton, Massachusetts B-5 Annual Comprehensive Financial ReportSource page 80
The Town was also a participant in a regional planning study to evaluate the effects of new growth in
both residential and commercial construction. The study’s focus was to identify growth related problems
such as transportation, infrastructure, environmental, and economic development issues. In addition, a
build-out analysis was completed to assist and improve public policy decision-making with regard to
growth and development related to educational planning. These studies have been coordinated with other
immediate area communities.
The Town is in the process of evaluating the opportunities and or impacts of the South Coast Rail Project
which is advancing through preliminary and environmental design. The State initiative would provide rail
service from Boston to Fall River/New Bedford via a route now determined by the State, known as the
Stoughton Alternative, which will include impacts in Canton.
A few years ago the Town received a MORE grant in the amount of $850,000 and completed
infrastructure improvements along Dan Road, an important commercial area of Town. After much effort,
the Town secured the commitment of Organogenesis, a bio tech firm, now located on Dan Road, which
was contemplating relocation. The Company’s commitment to stay in Canton and expand was an
important part of the Town’s success in obtaining this new funding.
Canton’s Master Plan Initiative required
a careful review and analysis of existing
conditions balanced with a vision for the
future. The work program is designed to
enlist public interest and participation in
shaping the Town’s future. Workshops,
neighborhood meetings, leadership
interviews and community surveys were
conducted. The Town has conducted an
extensive public outreach campaign to
better assure good attendance at
workshops and neighborhood focus
groups.
Existing planning, engineering reports
and documents have been reviewed and a written report, which summarizes their major issues and
relevant recommendations were prepared and remains available. The overall objective of the Master Plan
initiative was to develop a sustainable residential and business development strategy for the Town.
Brightview Canton is a community of 160 apartment homes for seniors which includes independent
living, dedicated assisted living and a specialized program and environment for people living with
Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
This added to existing residential developments such as Windsor Woods, Indian Woods, Pequit View and
Blue Hill Commons; and provide a nice compliment to commercial developments such as Dunkin Brands
with their worldwide corporate headquarters along with other top Canton companies such as Meditech,
Boston Mutual, Computershare, LoJack and Pepsi.
Town of Canton, Massachusetts B-6 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report