Bridgewater Budget Panel Backs 50% Veterans Property Tax Exemption

BRIDGEWATER — March 17, 2026 — Bridgewater's Budget and Finance Committee unanimously recommended a 50 percent property tax exemption for qualifying disabled veterans, with a stated goal of reaching full funding within two years. The committee voted Tuesday to advance the measure under the state's HERO Act, Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 59 Section 5 Clause 22J, after more than a half dozen veterans and supporters testified during public comment. At 50 percent, the annual cost to the town is approximately $49,000 — compared with roughly $99,100 at full exemption — and translates to an estimated $11 impact on the average single-family tax bill. Sean Murphy, chair of the Bridgewater Veterans Council, told the panel the exemption is "a message saying Bridgewater is not going to forget." The recommendation now goes to the full Town Council, which must act before July 1 for the exemption to take effect in fiscal year 2027. The committee also approved a $10,000 Old State Farm Trail development grant and debated — without a formal vote — a $70,000 CLA financial audit of the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District, with one member calling the spending "unfortunate" and another calling it a necessary tool to build public trust ahead of a school budget request that could top $107 million.