St. Albans rejects citizen petition to halt revaluation

ST. ALBANS – Based on legal advice that states “It is not the role of the voters to determine assessment levels for the town,” the St. Albans Board of Selectmen on Monday night refused to accept a citizen petition to halt the current revaluation.

More than 160 residents signed the petition, which called for a one-year moratorium on implementing the revaluation and then putting it in place gradually.

Sidney attorney Peter M. Beckerman advised town officials that since the revaluation was conducted to keep the town from falling below a 70 percent valuation rate, which is required by state law, “town meeting does not have authority, nor do any petitions, to attempt to set a limit on the tax rate or the value which will be assigned to property.”

Beckerman advised that local petitions, which involve matters reserved to the state and beyond the municipality’s power to modify, should be rejected.

Selectman Harry Bridge said that he had compared this year’s tax bills to last year’s and found that many residents will see no difference in their bills.

This is basically because the revaluation, while bringing each property value to 100 percent, prompted a dramatic drop in the mill rate.

The selectmen set the tax commitment Monday night at a mill rate of $13.50 per $1,000 valuation, compared to $21.50 for last year. Traditionally, in communities that conduct a revaluation, one-third of property owners receive larger tax bills, one-third receive smaller and one-third remain unchanged.

Selectman Harry Bridge said one property’s valuation increased from $8,000 to $14,500 but that because of the lower mill rate, the tax bill to the property owner remained stable.

Town Manager Larry Post said that even without a final SAD 48 budget figure, the commitment needed to be made. He explained to the selectmen that if the SAD 48 budget is far less than anticipated, the money will not be spent. It will be placed in the overlay account. He said that St. Albans is allowed $59,000 in that account, by state law, and he has budgeted $29,000 based on current SAD 48 budget figures.

“They would have to cut the budget by $400,000 before it would affect [that balance],” he explained to the board.