State reduces Dexter valuation Move aims to offset shoemaker’s closing

DEXTER – David Pearson knew if he persisted that he could convince someone in Maine Revenue Services of the town’s plight.

Pearson, Dexter’s tax assessor, managed to convince two members of the State Board of Property Tax Revenue earlier this month that the town had faced a sudden and severe economic loss with the closing of Dexter Shoe Co.’s manufacturing operations and therefore, the town’s valuation should be reduced. He had attempted the same last year after company officials announced the December 2001 closing, but was unsuccessful.

“This means we’ll get a better share of the pie,” Pearson said Friday.

There is one wrinkle, however. While the state board agreed to reduce the town’s valuation from $127,250,000 to $124,600,000 for school funding and revenue-sharing purposes, the original figure will be used to determine the town’s share of county taxes.

Pearson said he used almost the same argument before the board as he did last year, but this time his case was embraced by two of the board members. Two other members voted against the reduction and a fifth board member was absent from the discussion. The split vote meant the reduction was granted.

Pearson figured the town lost $2.5 million in valuation in 2002-03 with the removal of some of the company’s equipment, and experienced an even greater loss this year.

The valuation change should save the town’s budget $30,000 to $40,000, Pearson said.

“David has been pressing this issue for some time, and his efforts have finally paid off,” Town Manager Robert Simpson told the Town Council last week.