Milton Board denies Husky request to abate $15,237 late-tax penalty

The Milton Board of Abatement denied a request from Husky to abate an 8% late tax penalty assessed after the company’s May tax payment was received late. The board voted down a motion to abate $15,237.10 and separately rejected a motion to abate $304.74 in interest; the chair abstained and the standing votes were 3 in favor and 8 opposed for both motions.

Town Treasurer John Gifford told the board that Husky’s payment, received May 20, was applied by the town’s accounting system to penalty and interest first, leaving a delinquent tax balance of $15,541.84. Gifford also reminded members that Milton voters in March set a requirement that tax payments be received by 5:00 p.m. on the due date.

Husky representatives Richard Desouza and Adam Manor said the late payment resulted from the company’s accounts-payable employee leaving unexpectedly in mid-May. “People make mistakes and that one particular individual made a lot of mistakes and is no longer working at Husky,” Desouza said, adding that the company has a history of timely payments and local contributions. Manor told the board the accounts-payable function is handled in Canada and that the departure of the employee was unforeseeable; he said the payment was only three days late.

After hearing testimony, the board entered deliberative session and returned nearly an hour later. Brenda Steady moved to abate the $15,237.10 penalty under town abatement policy #10, which addresses charges caused by circumstances difficult to foresee; she recommended Husky still pay the $304.74 interest. That motion failed on a standing vote, 3 in favor and 8 opposed, with Chair Jon Hughes abstaining. A subsequent motion by Lonnie Poland to abate the $304.74 interest also failed by the same tally.

With no further motions, the abatement request was denied and the applicants will receive a written decision from the board. The town clerk recorded the minutes and a video of the meeting is available on the town’s agenda center.