Re: “Who owns Maine seaweed? Question goes to Maine Supreme Court” (Nov. 15):
I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard Wednesday that the debate on who owns the land between the high- and low-tide marks is still going on!
The solution seems so simple: Go to town hall and check the property lines listed on the property tax records for those properties abutting the ocean. If the property owner is paying property taxes for the land up to the high-tide mark only, then the “exposed land” at low tide is public. If the property owner is paying taxes for the land up to the low tide mark, then the “exposed land” is private.
Oh, by the way, if the courts decide that the owners of properties abutting the ocean do indeed own the land to the low-tide mark, this could be a nice financial windfall for the treasury of coastal towns. My guess is that those owners have been paying property taxes only on the land that doesn’t get covered by high tide. Now the town will be able to collect back taxes for all the years they’ve underpaid.
Problem solved!
Steven C. Pomelow
Gorham
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