Natick Select Board Promotes Moran, Hears Split-Tax Pushback

Select Board · Meeting of September 2, 2026

Natick business owners pack Select Board meeting to fight proposed 40 percent tax shift. Nearly a dozen speakers, including commercial owner Warren Cross, who said he already pays "over $300,000 in taxes," and Natick Outdoor Store's Henry Kanter, warned against splitting the town's tax rate, which currently draws 81 percent of its levy from residential property. No vote was taken; Economic Development Advisory Committee chair Paul Joseph asked the board directly, "How comfortable are you with ambiguity?" Elsewhere, the board voted 5-0 to promote Officer Travis Moran to sergeant effective September 3, continued California Pizza Kitchen's all-alcohol license to September 9 over a lapsed server-training certificate, and backed staff pursuing conceptual design work on a possible rebuild of the aging 1956 Kohl Center.

The Community Preservation Committee separately recommended $1,243,500 for South Natick's Charles River parks project after a state grant was denied.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 4,076 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of September 2, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.