Brunswick officials are holding a public forum this week to gather input that could be used to guide a revaluation that would significantly increase some homeowners’ taxes.
The forum is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Town Hall. The Finance Committee, comprised of Councilors Nathaniel Shed, Dan Ankeles and Sande Updegraph, will host it.
“This meeting will be the start of a new effort to inform and involve residents in issues of concern to Brunswick,” the committee said. “Citizens are encouraged to attend and bring ideas and comments.”
The council this month voted to indefinitely delay a contentious revaluation that would have put more of the town’s property tax burden on homeowners, since residential real estate has outpaced commercial. Some, including at least one councilor, would see their property taxes double. Assessor Taylor Burns said his department undertook the revaluation, the first since 2017, because the town’s 9,721 properties were assessed at about 58% of market value this year. State law requires municipal assessments to average between 70% and 110% of market value.
Under the revaluation, an estimated 62% of property owners would see a property tax hike, while 15% would see a decrease and 22% would see no change in their tax bills. Mobile home values increased 90% in the revaluation, while single-family home values increased 72%.
Residents facing steep tax hikes spoke out against the revaluation in phone calls, emails and public comments at municipal meetings, prompting the council to delay it.
The Finance Committee said it will address mobile home park assessments and neighborhood codes, among other topics, at Thursday’s forum, which will be streamed on Zoom, allowing people to comment virtually. Councilors have said they want to publicize the revaluation process after some people complained they were not given enough notice.
This year’s property taxes, which are due in the fall, will be based on last year’s valuations and people will see a roughly 7% across-the-board tax hike based on the $92.1 million budget the council approved in May. The revaluation would have translated to a projected drop in the property tax rate, from $21.69 per $1,000 value to $14.50 per $1,000. The tax rate is determined by essentially dividing a community’s budget by its total taxable value. As values increase, the tax rate will decrease and vice-versa.
Bath is currently undergoing a similar revaluation.
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