AUBURN — Property taxes in Auburn will remain flat this year after city officials said new valuation from development activity has continued to increase.
According to a city news release late Tuesday, the property tax rate will remain at $22.75 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. After the council approved next year’s $113 million combined city and school budget this spring, officials expected a 20-cent increase to the tax rate.
However, at the time, city finance staff said that number was based on a “conservative estimate” of new valuation in the city and that the tax rate could be reduced further.
“This is a meaningful accomplishment,” said City Manager Phil Crowell on Tuesday. “And it’s a direct result of good growth combined with the hard work of our staff and our City Council, both of whom are deeply committed to controlling costs.”
Last year, the city conducted a valuation adjustment to single-family homes that was somewhat controversial, causing some homeowners to see large increases on their tax bills. However, the property tax rate fell by $1.07. This year, staff said, a valuation adjustment was made to multi-family units “in order to keep up with growing value in the housing market.”
“Auburn has finally stopped (property tax rate) increases this year,” said Mayor Jason Levesque. “We will continue to focus on growth and new commercial, industrial, and residential development, which has led to stability this year, and hopefully in the years to come. I suspect we are the only Maine municipality without a (tax rate) increase this year, and that is something to be proud of.”
City Assessor Karen Scammon said city assessing staff “worked diligently over the past few years to be able to accomplish this and I am extremely proud of the effort and hard work that has gone into it.”
Scammon said the valuation adjustments made by the city over the last two years mean that Auburn’s “certified ratio” will remain at 93%, which means properties on average are assessed at 93% of their actual value.
“Being able to maintain the certified ratio is extremely good news for the taxpayers,” said Scammon. “By maintaining the mil rate and certified ratio, properties that have been stabilized or properties that did not see any change in their valuation will have the same tax amount as in 2022.”
It also means the amount deducted on tax bills for exemptions such as the Homestead Exemption, Veteran’s Exemption and Blind Exemption will remain the same, she said.
Levesque said Wednesday that during his time as mayor, he’s consistently said that the only way a city as large, geographically, as Auburn can continue to provide services and keep its tax rate flat is by increasing its tax base.
“Our value is going up dramatically,” he said.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
