Peter Mimmo: Planning Board and Board of Assessors Vision

Peter Mimmo is a civil attorney and public servant running for re-election to the Hopkinton Board of Assessors. As an incumbent, he seeks to continue pushing the town forward as a community.

Mimmo is also seeking a seat on the Hopkinton Planning Board. If elected, he plans to strike a balance between developers’ rights and the community’s needs.

Mimmo has a logical and pragmatic approach to fiscal oversight and community development. He brings a wealth of professional experience in public service and a love for Hopkinton.

Vision for the Planning Board

Mimmo will push for a balance that allows for well-considered development and retains the character that makes the town a special place to live and work. He understands the financial pressures that residents face. As of now, residential property taxes account for about 85% of the tax base in Hopkinton; the other 15% comes from commercial and industrial properties.

Mimmo feels that Hopkinton could better utilize its commercial and industrial buildings, specifically those located on South Street. This would allow the town to earn income from something other than residential property taxes. And it wouldn’t involve giving up open space or the town’s rural character.

Mimmo advocates for:

Attracting New Business: Mimmo wants to see Hopkinton attract more businesses, restaurants, and entertainment to the right spots.

Mixed-Use Development: Mimmo wants to promote mixed-use development, especially in neighborhoods like South Street, to stimulate economic activity.

Capitalize on Platinum Status: Attract more bioscience and technology companies to take advantage of Hopkinton’s platinum status. Under MassBio’s BioReady rating system, Hopkinton is one of only a few towns in Massachusetts to have earned platinum status.

Community Values: Ensure that any new development is in keeping with community values and preserves the interests of abutters and neighborhoods.

Board of Assessors — Fiscal Stewardship

As a member of the Board of Assessors, Mimmo has championed transparency, fairness, and fiscal responsibility. He points to several important accomplishments:

• Veteran’s Tax Exemption: He helped pass the “Hero Act.” Which linked veterans’ exemptions to the cost-of-living index to ensure benefits keep pace with inflation.
• Settling Key Tax Litigation with Eversource: He brokered a resolution to long-running property tax appeals with Eversource, the town’s biggest taxpayer.
  • The town resolved six pending property tax appeals with Eversource, its largest taxpayer, for the fiscal years 2017 to 2022.
  • When an entity as large as Eversource files property tax appeals, the town has to set aside a significant amount in a surplus account. This is to cover the potential liability if the appeals are successful.
  • The millions of dollars in the surplus account had remained inactive for years.
  • After years of litigation, the town settled all six lawsuits for a relatively small amount—approximately $100,000—compared to the millions that had been reserved.
  • More than the favorable settlement, the real benefit for the town was the release of this enormous amount of previously reserved money. Those millions are now available for other uses.
• Easing Senior Tax Relief: The board reduced the age cap for a tax exemption from 70 to 65. This expanded the pool of seniors eligible for relief. Mimmo backed improvements to the senior work program. This enabled more residents to earn tax breaks through volunteer work.
• Listening to Abatement Seekers: Mimmo reiterates the need to give a fair hearing to residents who want an abatement. He works hard on behalf of all taxpayers to ensure they are heard and understand the board’s decisions. Mimmo is committed to good governance and public engagement.

He values:

• Working with organizations to engage in civil discourse and respectful debate.
• Making decisions with transparency and providing clear communication to the public.
• A collaborative, neighborly approach to local government that puts the needs of Hopkinton residents first.

Mimmo’s record indicates that he is not beholden to any particular group, including the HDTC, of which he is the Vice Chair. Instead, he works to express his views and those of the greater community. He credits his colleagues and his campaign supporters for their guidance and friendship. In the end, he always makes his own decisions.

Mimmo’s Candidate Statements

Planning Board

I am running for election to the open five-year seat on the Hopkinton Planning Board. I’m excited about the opportunity to serve our community, in addition to serving on the Board of Assessors.

As a member of the Planning Board, my goal would be to help manage necessary growth while maintaining the charm and character that make our town a special place. 

Bringing a fresh perspective, I will draw on my experience as a civil attorney to apply zoning bylaws fairly and balance the rights of developers with the needs of our community. My goal is to adopt a proactive approach to development in Town by adhering to our town’s master plan. 

While the Planning Board does not have the authority to pick and choose which businesses join our Town, I believe we can help encourage the type of commercial growth that meets the needs of our community without compromising our values.   

Board of Assessors

I am running for re-election to the Hopkinton Board of Assessors. I’m excited about the opportunity to continue serving.

On this Board, we provide oversight to the professionals working in town hall who assess property values, consider taxpayer applications for abatements and exemptions, and provide data and analysis for setting the Town’s annual tax rate. 

I am honored to be a member of this Board. During my term, I am proud that we sponsored Town Meeting articles for additional exemptions for our veterans, which passed unanimously.

We did our part to help resolve multiple property tax appeals and related litigation involving Eversource. That effort allowed the Town to free up millions in funds tied up in our overlay account.

Moving forward, we will examine the Small Commercial exemption to see if it may help stimulate commercial growth in our Town. We will continue to grant tax abatements and exemptions. 

In Hopkinton, we pride ourselves on the quality of services our town offers in education, public safety, and our beautiful parks and diverse recreational opportunities.

To maintain these services, it is essential to ensure that our property taxes are fair and reasonable and that seniors and veterans receive the abatements and exemptions to which they are entitled.  

As a member of the Board of Assessors, I will continue to work thoughtfully with fellow board members and the skilled professional staff to achieve those goals. 

Personal Background and Commitment

If elected to the Planning Board, Mimmo will serve a full term. Additionally, he will continue to make a difference through the Board of Assessors, if reelected.

Mimmo believes in responsible development, equitable taxation, and transparency. Voters will get a representative who listens, does his homework, and will always put the town’s interests first.