The Select Board heard the annual report on changing town tax policy from a single rate to a split rate at the Nov. 19 meeting 

Currently under the single rate policy residents pay a uniform percentage in taxes. But on Tuesday night the town considered a split rate, under which the tax burden would shift from residential property owners to commercial and industrial businesses and personal property taxes.

In effect, residential property owners would see a small decrease in taxes, between 1.7% and 9.7% while commercial, industrial and personal property taxes would increase significantly, between 9.9% and 50%, according to the report from Jacqui Nichols, Director of Assessing.

A split rate does not increase the towns revenue and Nichols said changing the tax policy could cause rent increases for commercial properties and make Wareham less attractive to new development and relocation for small businesses.

“Small businesses would be penalized more than big box stores because the tax increase would be passed along to the tenants,” said Select Board Chair Judith Whiteside. “I’m concerned that it would really hurt our small business.”

The board voted unanimously to maintain a single rate on Tuesday night but the matter will remain open until the town receives more information from the state and will be considered again at the next Select Board meeting on Nov. 26.