Watertown homeowners will see their property taxes rise nearly 7 percent after the City Council approved the Fiscal Year 2026 Tax Classification on Wednesday night.

The average residential tax bill is $11,328, which is up $734 or 6.9 percent, according to the presentation by Earl Smith, the chair of the Watertown Board of Assessors. The Council also adopted the residential exemption at 35 percent, which provides a savings of $3,965. The average tax bill with the residential exemption is $7,363, which is up $476 or 6.9 percent.

City Manager George Proakis said the FY 2026 Tax Levy is based on a budget that is within the confines of Proposition 2-1/2, and would not require an override.

Smith said the members of the Board of Assessors recommended that the Council do the maximum residential

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