7% Tax

Which Cities and Towns Have Opted for Local .75% Option

In the City of Gardner as of July 1, 2024, here is the accurate information regarding how your cost of a meal and/or takeout has been impacted by the adoption of the .75% option. A $40.00 tab used to cost $42.50 total with the 6.25% MA tax. Now with the added .75%, the total is $42.80, a difference of 30 cents. However, during the course of a year, even a seemingly tiny amount can help the City of Gardner’s budget. For example, if 10,000 residents had a $40 tab each week for a year, the total amount spent before taxes would be $20,800,000. State of MA would collect 6.25% meals sales tax of $1,300,000 and City of Gardner would receive .75% meals tax of $156,000.

Other communities which had already adopted the option to tax meals at 7% instead of 6.25% are:Athol, Orange, Phillipston, Rutland, Templeton, and Winchendon

The nearby cities of Fitchburg and Leominster have not adopted the .75% option on meals. Boston has had the added amount in place since 2009, Framingham since 2010, Springfield since 2009, and Worcester since 2009. A total of 257 out of 352 cities and towns have the added tax in place. Current List, CLICK HERE.