Though Wareham is still waiting for certification on tax data from the state Department of Revenue, the town does know that residences and businesses will be paying a single tax rate.

The Board of Selectmen held a tax classification hearing with Director of Assessment Elsa Miller, Assistant Director of Assessment Gary Mizher, and Chairman of the Board of Assessors Steve Curry during its meeting on Tuesday, December 13. After the hearing the Selectmen voted unanimously against splitting the tax rate for 2012, which would have resulted in commercial properties paying a higher tax rate than residential properties.

According to the paperwork the assessors presented to the Board of Selectmen, the tax rate for both residential and commercial properties is expected to rise from $8.93 to $9.38—a difference of 45 cents—per $1,000 value of the property.

Wareham’s data is still being certified by the Department of Revenue, making the town at least two weeks behind schedule. Miller said there is no way of knowing at this point if the tax bills will go out postmarked by December 31, as they are supposed to.

“It’s in the state’s hands,” Curry said.

Curry also told the Selectmen that they have crammed seven months of work into a five-month period. This is due to a number of factors, including the fact that Miller was just hired in June.

Selectman Ellen Begley voiced her concerns about everything depending on one person and suggested putting policies in place for situations if the director and/or assistant are not present, so “no matter what element was missing, it could move forward.”

Historically Wareham has never adopted a split tax rate. During the meeting Miller advised the Board against adopting it, saying it “would not be favorable.”