LD 1 hearing set for Houlton

HOULTON – Town officials will give taxpayers a synopsis of the expected impact of LD 1 on the community at the Town Council meeting April 11.

Town Manager Douglas Hazlett made the announcement at a council meeting earlier this week. After a council meeting two weeks ago, Councilor Paul Cleary suggested the session to let taxpayers know about the newly passed legislation and what it might mean for Houlton.

Under a section of the legislation, the Legislature voted to increase the so-called homestead exemption for homeowners but reduced the reimbursement from the state to the towns to 50 percent. Thus, the state nearly doubles the amount of money eligible homeowners can exempt from their taxes under the homestead program, but cuts in half the amount of money for which it will reimburse towns.

That means that Houlton and other towns throughout the state are going to have to find ways to make up for the shortfall.

Town Clerk Cathy O’Leary estimated Tuesday that the proposed changes could cost the town about $250,000.

“We probably won’t know the full impact of this until further on down the road,” Hazlett said at the recent meeting.