Rockport property owners grill assessor’s agent over valuations

ROCKPORT – Tom Edwards knows a messenger delivering bad news might as well have a target painted on his back.

But that didn’t deter Edwards, Rockport’s assessor’s agent, from meeting with about 150 less-than-happy property owners Monday.

Edwards recently completed a townwide analysis of property values, just three years after a consultant adjusted values on all properties.

The analysis confirmed what most everyone knows: Houses and land are selling for outrageous prices here, even higher than they were selling for in 2000.

The most recent adjustment meant properties in the village area, and on or near water, saw big increases.

“I think everybody really understands what’s going on,” Edwards said on Tuesday.

But that doesn’t stop people from questioning the value placed on their property, he said.

Two weeks ago, the town sent to every property owner a proposed new value. Edwards set up times for people to meet with him to discuss the valuation, and to point out any errors that may have been made in calculating it, such as including a garage on a neighbor’s land, for example.

Monday night’s meeting was scheduled to accommodate the crush of questions that come when half the town’s property tax bills increase.

A theme in the questions and comments, Edwards said, is the notion that real-estate values are “phony,” and created when “some outsider comes in with a ton of money” and pays more than should be paid.

Just or unjust, he said, “That’s what drives it.”

Edwards said many at the meeting questioned either the value put on their land or buildings. The law requires an accurate total assessment on the property, he said, so any challenge must address the total value.

With the added value coming from adjusting properties that were undervalued, Edwards said, the town expects the mill rate to be $10.50 this year, down from $15.25. Tax bills are slated to be mailed in three weeks.

“This is not something that is unique to Rockport,” he said of the spike in real-estate prices.

Kennebunk recently completed a revaluation that resulted in the total town value increasing from about $700 million to $1.8 billion; while locally, Islesboro’s total value has nearly doubled in two years, he said.

Rockland, Belfast and Ellsworth property owners have seen similar increases, driven by demand for coastal real estate, Edwards said.