Madawaska rate up 2 mills in first increase in 3 years

MADAWASKA – The property tax rate has been the same at Madawaska for three years, but recent action by selectmen has increased the mill rate by 10 percent for the coming year.

By a 4-1 vote Tuesday, the Madawaska Board of Selectmen approved a tax rate of 21.7 mills, up two mills from the 19.7 mill rate of the last three years.

A resident with real estate valued at $100,000 will see his tax bill go up from $1,970 to $2,170, an increase of $200.

Selectman Daniel Ahearn was the lone dissenting vote for the increase.

“I agreed with the increase, it was unavoidable,” he said. “However, I proposed to freeze the mill rate at 21.7 for two years, and that was defeated by a vote of 3-2.

“Without a freeze, the mill rate will climb again next year,” he said Friday. “The school budgets just keep increasing, even though the number of pupils is decreasing each year.”

Ahearn said he was frustrated that the town cut its proposed budget this year, but the school department increased its budget again.

“I would have supported the 21.7 mill rate, with a freeze,” Ahearn said. “The freeze would have assured residents that taxes would not have increased for a period of time.”

Madawaska’s total budget amounted to $9,197,889. Revenues other than property taxes reduced the figure by $1,682,112. The amount to be raised by property taxes is $7,515,777.

Included in the expenditures is $413,676 as the town’s share of the Aroostook County budget; $4,070,671 for municipal expenditures; and $4,606,480.36 for education. The overlay included in the budget is $107,062.

The overlay is an amount allowed by law to be raised from taxes above the actual budgetary needs of the community.

Madawaska’s municipal valuation is listed at $346,349,180.

The 3,016 tax bills being sent to residents, businesses and industry were printed Thursday.

Residents can expect their tax bills early next week. They will be mailed Monday.