The Greater Boston Real Estate Board has tapped a city official from Portsmouth, N.H., who is also a former Boston assessing commissioner, to serve as its new chief executive officer.
GBREB announced the hiring of Thaddeus “Ted” J. Jankowski last week. Jankowski, who has more than two decades of experience in public administration, planning and tax policy, replaces Edwin J. Shanahan.
“I have had a lifelong interest in real estate and taxation policy,” said Jankowski last week. “This is a unique opportunity to be involved in an area that’s so important to the national and regional economy.”
Jankowski has served as deputy city manager in Portsmouth since 2000 and has been the city’s finance director for the last 11 years. During his time in New Hampshire, Jankowski played a key role in fighting for school finance reform. He is the executive director of The Coalition Communities, a coalition of New Hampshire municipalities that is seeking to repeal the statewide property tax. In 2005, Portsmouth will no longer be a donor town obligated to pay that tax because of legislation passed last year.
‘A Progressive Record’
Jankowksi has helped lead several other initiatives in Portsmouth, including the redevelopment of Pease Air Force Base into Pease International Tradeport and Mariner’s Village into 350 housing units.
But in Boston circles, Jankowski is perhaps best known for his years serving as the city’s assessing commissioner. Jankowski, who was commissioner under Mayor Raymond Flynn from 1985 to 1992, was credited by many for getting a bill passed in 1988 that cut property taxes for homeowners in Boston and in 88 other Massachusetts communities.
The bill shifted more of the tax burden onto commercial and industrial property owners and allowed Boston to return to the tax proportions of fiscal 1984. As a result, property taxes for homeowners dropped an average of 5 percent, while tax bills on business property jumped by more than 13 percent. The law also doubled the exemption for owner-occupied properties from 10 percent of assessed value to 20 percent.
“He did have a progressive record as the city’s assessing commissioner Hopefully he’ll bring that to legislators on Beacon Hill and help homeowners avoid a huge tax increase in coming years,” said Michael Kane, director of the Massachusetts Alliance of HUD Tenants.
Kane, who called Jankowski a “top-notch professional,” said he still has a book on property taxation that was written by Jankowski.
Samuel Tyler, president of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau, recalled that Jankowski was a “very effective manager” who was politically astute and influential in his field. At one point during his assessing years, Jankowski served as the president of the Massachusetts Association of Assessing Officers.
“I think somebody who has the background in assessing that Ted has, and then also his experiences as deputy city manager for a city like Portsmouth, obviously he has to have good organizational and planning and administrative skills. I think those are all traits that will serve the Greater Boston Real Estate Board well,” said Tyler.
Jankowski’s familiarity with the major players in Boston’s political scene should allow him to feel like he’s “coming home” – a phrase used by both Tyler and Jankowski.
A resident of New Castle, Jankowski said he plans to continue living in New Hampshire. He expects to start his new job next month.
“I’m just really looking forward to the challenge of it,” said Jankowski.
