Mayoral opponents go at it again
By George P. Hassett

   Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone is targeting an old political foe by exorbitantly increasing the tax assessment on his home, said Tony Lafuente in a March 6 letter to City Hall.
   Lafuente, who lost to Curtatone by 700 votes in the 2003 mayoral election, said in the letter that the tax assessment on his home has doubled since the election and the increase is due to political revenge.

   ‚ÄúI am convinced, now, that Richard Brescia is not working on his own on this matter therefore leading me to think that political retribution is in play here,‚Äù he said in the letter. Brescia is the city‚Äôs chief assessor.
   The assessment of Lafuente‚Äôs home has increased from $639,400 in 2003 to $1.427 million in 2006.
   In a March 7 letter addressed to Lafuente, Curtatone wrote, ‚ÄúI have nothing to do with determining the assessed value of any property in Somerville ‚Äì to do so would, quite frankly, be illegal.‚Äù
   Curtatone defended Brescia and maintained politics were not a factor.
   In his letter, Lafuente said he wanted to notify the administration of his plans before they began their ‚Äúnormal process‚Äù of using local blogs and newspapers to derail attention from the issue at hand.
   The letters were obtained by a source in City Hall who wished to remain anonymous. Executive Director of Communications Thomas P. Champion confirmed the authenticity of each letter.