WOODSTOCK — Taxes on a $100,000 home would increase if a cost-sharing formula for School Administrative District 44 is approved by voters.
The formula is based 100 percent on property value. Under the proposed change for 2017-18 and 2018-19, it would shift to 90 percent property value and 10 percent student enrollment, hiking taxes on a $100,000 home by $24.
In 2019-20 and thereafter, an 85/15 percent split is proposed, which would raise taxes $23 more a year on a $100,000 property.
Town Manager Vern Maxfield said he thinks it’s going to be a lot of additional expense for taxpayers and the formula should stay as is.
“As I see it, it just gives the Newry second and third homeowners a break on taxes at the expense of other towns,” he said.
Newry Selectman Jim Largess said Newry is not the only town with second and third homeowners.
“I think that although we do have a bunch of second homes in Newry, we’re not alone in that number. All three of the other towns have a significant number of second homeowners. I get it, it’s real, but we’re not the only town with second homeowners,” he said.
emeisner@sunmediagroup.net
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