The Chamber SUPPORTS the Article 4 proposal, that the Town impose a local sales tax on meals (“meals tax”).

Article 4: local sales tax on meals (“meals tax”).

The Hopkinton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors unanimously support a local meals excise tax in order to specifically help fund a full-time economic development officer. It is anticipated that if adopted, the Town would pursue a Special Act that would allow designation of the revenues for economic development purposes.

As of now, 74% of communities in Massachusetts have implemented this meals excise tax. Of the 258 communities already applying the meals excise tax, the average start date was 2/1/2013.

It is important to note that this meals excise tax (.75%) is mostly for food & non-alcoholic drinks served at restaurants and food to-go orders at restaurants. There is no additional tax on alcohol sales (beer, wine, or liquor).

Example

Suppose I purchase $100 in food and $20 in alcohol at a local Hopkinton restaurant.

Currently: I am taxed on $120 at 6.25% ($7.50)
Current total: $127.50

With meals excise tax: additional excise tax on the $100 of food is $0.75
No additional tax on the alcohol
Increase the total bill from $127.50 to $128.25 (a 75 cent increase).

Of the participating communities* with a population size of within +/- 2,000 of Hopkinton, the average revenue received for the fiscal year 2024 was $421,608. The Chamber hopes
Hopkinton will generate $200,000+ in revenue.

*(Sandwich, Bourne, Grafton, Hudson, Sudbury. Scituate, Norton, Newburyport, Ashland, Foxborough, Sharon, Winthrop, Pembroke, Somerset, Concord, South Hadley, Southbridge, Greenfield, Rockland, Webster and Bellingham). Please note that Foxborough was within the population limits, but was removed due to being an outlier (Foxborough collected $1,328,747 in fiscal year 2024).

Article 8: MBTA Communities Multi-Family Overlay District

The Chamber SUPPORTS both options for Article 8’s amendments to the Zoning Bylaw and the Zoning Map by adopting the MBTA Communities Multi-Family Overlay District.

The article establishes an overlay zoning district that complies with the Commonwealth’s MBTA Communities multi-family by-right housing law, otherwise known as MGL c. 40A, Section 3A. This article would add a new section to the Hopkinton Zoning Bylaws to establish this district and amend the Zoning Map to show the subdistrict locations.

The Hopkinton Chamber of Commerce supports both of the proposals; One is referred to as “Upper Cedar Street and Downtown” and one familiarly known as “The reserve/Downtown/Walcott Valley.”

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has committed to block certain grants to towns that do not comply with this law.  Additionally, we could be forced to defend our actions in court if the State decides to sue us into compliance.

Paul Ostrander – Chamber Board Member
10 Dicarlo Rd