Why No Real Explanation Of The Tax Hike?

So, we get a letter with our tax bill explaining the change in our assessed value of our property, why no real explanation of the tax hike?  A 24% increase of the property value and the corresponding drop in the mil rate would equal no raise in taxes.  Its pretty straight forward, simple math that shouldn’t be too hard to understand and was explained in the letter.  Likewise is the increase in the taxes … everyone should have received the same basic increase in their taxes … about 14.5 percent? … Please feel free to check my math … but if yours is more than 15% you should be camping out in the town office looking for an answer since there has been no individual revaluation of property.

So why no straight forward explanation of the 14+% raise in our property tax.  I’ll buy the increase in the municipal budget and I will even give the town a break on the percentages … but still this equates to an unexplained 12% increase in our tax bills.  Who has the authority to automatically raise our property taxes by that much?  And how exactly did the Dingleys tax assessment came back 1.8 million less than the year prior  

I do not agree with Councilor Cote’s statement of not paying your taxes, and to “financially collapse Lisbon” would no doubt have a larger impact on the residents in the long run.  If you have a mortgage on your house, which is probably most of us, the bank has no doubt already paid your taxes and is getting ready to reassess your escrow to increase your monthly payment.  The bank has a vested interest in your house and is probably not going to let you skip paying taxes or your insurance.

So we should expect “drastic changes in Lisbon Town Government immediately” – I’ll believe it when I see it, but I definitely agree with Michelle Turmelle, ALL the counselors should have been aware of the tax increase before it happened … they should have been aware of the tax assessment problem, as soon as possible not weeks or even days later. If there is a problem with a council member or members having this information as it is available then there is a bigger problem to solve.  That needs to change TODAY. There shouldn’t need to be a lawsuit with Dingley - if Dingley Press has been over assessed for years then the Town needs to work out a settlement, take ownership of the mistake and fix it.  But before we start screaming to cut services, like the police department, think about the options … and what they will cost

Last but not least … if we are going to make a change in the Town Government how about we start at the top and work our way down … start with a 15% cut in pay for the Counselors and the Town Manager … it really isn’t much compared to the 1.8 million .. but it’s a start … And I know it’s in his contract … but why is it again we allow the town manager to not only live outside the town but pay him mileage to drive back and forth to work?

Another VERY CONCERNED citizen,

Gregg Garrison