Plymouth tax work-off lottery draws 101 applicants for 30 spots paying up to $1,500 toward tax bills
Ten places go to veterans and 20 to seniors, and those picked earn $15 an hour toward their tax bills for up to 100 hours of work for the town.
PLYMOUTH Plymouth received 101 applications for 30 places in its senior and veterans property tax work-off program, so most applicants will not get a spot when the town draws names at the Select Board meeting Tuesday, Nov. 17.
"Our Human Resources Department received 101 applications. However, there are only 10 veteran spots and 20 senior spots available for placement," Taylor O'Neil, the town's communications coordinator, said in an email Tuesday. Applications were due by Friday, Oct. 30, she said.
Those picked earn $15 an hour for volunteer work they do for the town, and the earnings, up to $1,500 for 100 hours, are credited toward their property tax bill, figures O'Neil confirmed for this round. The $1,500 maximum in earnings equals about a fifth of the $7,731 bill on Plymouth's average single-family home in fiscal 2026, by our math from state Division of Local Services figures, though under last year's rules taxes come out before the credit reaches the bill.
How the drawing works
The lottery is held live during the board's Nov. 17 meeting in the Great Hall on the second floor of Town Hall, 26 Court St., the town said in a notice posted Nov. 10. Residents can attend in person, join on Zoom with webinar ID 916-9514-0644 and passcode 121500, or watch on The Local Seen, the town's government access station, on Comcast Channel 9, Verizon Channel 47 or The Local Seen's website.
The start time will be on the board's Nov. 17 agenda, which Plymouth posts in the Agenda Center on its website and which state law requires to be posted at least 48 hours ahead, not counting weekends and legal holidays.
Applicants do not have to watch the meeting, the notice says, and Human Resources will call the people who are selected directly by phone. Questions about the program go to Human Resources at 508-747-1620, ext. 10197.
With 30 places for 101 applicants, at least 71 will not get one this round, by our count. If all 30 participants work the full 100 hours, they would earn $45,000 in all toward their tax bills, also by our math.
Last year's rules and what the credit was worth
The only fact sheet on the town's website, titled the 2026 program, was written for last year's round, whose live drawing was set for the Select Board meeting Nov. 18, 2025, and for this round the town has confirmed only the $15 hourly rate and the $1,500 cap for 100 hours. Last year's sheet required applicants to be at least 60 by Jan. 1, 2026, or a veteran of any age as state law defines the term, to be listed on the deed of the Plymouth home they live in year-round, and to be in good standing on all taxes, utilities and excise. Only one member of a household could take part, background checks were mandatory and participants were picked at random.
Under last year's sheet, a participant had to work at least 10 hours to earn any credit, and a spouse could stand in for a disabled veteran physically unable to do the work. The credit is to come as an exemption on the December 2026 tax bill, worth the amount earned minus Medicare, Social Security and federal income tax, so a participant who earned the full $1,500 would see a smaller cut on the bill, though the sheet says the credit is not subject to Massachusetts personal income tax.
What state law allows
State law lets a city or town that accepts it run work-off programs for residents over 60 and for veterans, crediting no more than the state minimum wage for each hour of service. The yearly cap is $2,000 for seniors and $1,500 for veterans, so Plymouth's $1,500 limit matches the veterans' ceiling and sits $500 below what the law allows for seniors. A town's legislative body can vote instead to base the maximum on 125 hours of service, and it can allow an approved representative to do the work for someone physically unable to do it.
The law says the credit does not count as income for state tax purposes and treats volunteers as public employees under the state tort claims law while they serve. The veterans' section adds that nothing in it permits a town to reduce its workforce or replace existing staff.
What happens next
The work-off program is on the Select Board's list of upcoming items for Nov. 17, along with a policy on how town meeting warrant articles are handled, according to the board's Nov. 10 agenda, which says the dates can change. A level service budget presentation is listed for Nov. 24, and the board's tax classification hearing, which sets how the tax load is split among classes of property, is listed for Dec. 1.
Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.
Notes
Every fact comes from the town's Nov. 10 notice on the drawing, an email from Taylor O'Neil, Plymouth's communications coordinator, answering our questions for Human Resources, the town's fact sheet for last year's round, the Select Board's Nov. 10 agenda, sections 5K and 5N of Chapter 59, Section 20 of Chapter 30A and Section 56 of Chapter 40 of the state's General Laws, and the state Division of Local Services report on average single-family tax bills, all read on Nov. 10. The eligibility rules and tax treatment in the story are from last year's fact sheet and are labeled that way. The share of the average bill, the count of applicants left out and the $45,000 total are our own math, and we checked each date and weekday against a calendar.
Corrections
No corrections to this story. If something here is wrong, tell us. Every correction is dated on the story and listed in our public log.
Sources (9)
- Town of Plymouth News Flash: Senior & Veterans Property Tax Work Off Program Live Lottery to be held on Tuesday, November 17Town of Plymouth, posted Nov. 10, 2026. Lottery during the Nov. 17 Select Board meeting; Great Hall, 26 Court St.; Zoom ID and passcode; The Local Seen channels; applicants need not watch; Human Resources calls those selected; 508-747-1620, ext. 10197. Read Nov. 10, 2026.
- Taylor O'Neil, Communications Coordinator, Town of Plymouth: email to South Coast 360 (not posted online; link is the town site her signature gives)Received Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, 6:17 p.m., copied to Human Resources. 101 applications; 10 veteran and 20 senior spots; placements announced Nov. 17; applications due Friday, Oct. 30; $15 an hour, up to $1,500 for 100 hours confirmed. Quoted word for word. Read Nov. 10, 2026.
- Town of Plymouth, 2026 Senior & Veterans Property Tax Work Off Program Fact SheetTown of Plymouth, written for last year's round (live drawing Nov. 18, 2025). Minimum 10 hours; $1,500 maximum at $15 an hour for 100 hours; age 60 by Jan. 1, 2026, or a veteran; deed and year-round residence; one per household; tax treatment; December exemption; good standing; lottery and background checks. Read Nov. 10, 2026.
- Plymouth Select Board, Tuesday, November 10, 2026, agendaTown of Plymouth. Upcoming agenda items, subject to date changes: Nov. 17 work-off program and warrant article process policy; Nov. 24 level service budget presentation; Dec. 1 tax classification hearing. Read Nov. 10, 2026.
- Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 59, Section 5K: property tax liability reduced in exchange for volunteer services, persons over age 60General Court of Massachusetts. Local acceptance; minimum wage rate limit; $2,000 yearly cap; state tax and tort claims treatment; 125 hour and approved representative options. Read Nov. 10, 2026.
- Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 59, Section 5N: reduction of property tax obligation of veteran in exchange for volunteer servicesGeneral Court of Massachusetts. Veterans and spouses; minimum wage rate limit; $1,500 yearly cap; no reduction of workforce; 125 hour and approved representative options. Read Nov. 10, 2026.
- Massachusetts Division of Local Services, Average Single Family Tax Bill, Plymouth, fiscal 2026Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Fiscal 2026 average single-family value $615,994 and average bill $7,731. Read Nov. 10, 2026.
- Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 56: classification of property and the share of the tax levyGeneral Court of Massachusetts. The select board each year sets the percentages of the local tax levy borne by each class of property. Read Nov. 10, 2026.
- Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 30A, Section 20: open meetings and notice of meetingsGeneral Court of Massachusetts. Notice of every meeting posted at least 48 hours ahead, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, with the date, time and place. Read Nov. 10, 2026.