November 22, 2024
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Greenville cuts tax rate from $20.70 to $10.60 Completion of full revaluation hailed, faulted

GREENVILLE – The completion of a full revaluation has resulted in the town’s valuation surpassing the worth the state has placed on the community.

The revaluation pushed the town’s valuation from $158 million last year to more than $319 million. The state considers the town’s worth at $259 million.

The increase in property value allowed selectmen to drop the tax rate from $20.70 to $10.60 per $1,000 property valuation.

Even with the reduced tax rate, many property owners will see an increase in their property taxes because of valuation changes.

Some residents have faulted the work of RJD Assessors of Pittsfield which did that revaluation. The total cost of the project was about $100,000, residents were told on Wednesday.

“This outfit did not do a very good job,” resident Rollie Wortman said Wednesday during a selectman’s meeting. “To me, the land values, I think, are really messed up with this outfit.”

As an example, Wortman said his 1.2-acre lot was valued at $64,400 while a relative’s property next door, which is smaller, was valued at more than $100,000.

Board Chairman Bonnie DuBien told Wortman that she thought the process was fair but admitted there were errors. She said there is an abatement process for those errors.

Selectman Alan McBrierty was not happy with the end product either.

“Do I put my stamp on this [revaluation]? No, I don’t” he said Wednesday. He was the only board member who voted against accepting the revaluation figures.

The tax rate adopted will provide the town an overlay of $114,619, which is much higher than usual. Both the town’s auditor and tax assessor recommended the higher amount in order to cover any abatements that may be required as a result of the revaluation.

Typically, the town carries an overlay of about $15,000 to $30,000, according to Town Manager John Simko.

Any overlay not used will lapse to unappropriated surplus, Simko said.

Simko said tax bills should be mailed by Nov. 1 at the latest.

Correction: This article appeared on page B3 in the Coastal edition.

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