The latest news about Maine lakes and ponds.

Revaluation comes ashore soon to Maranacook Lake residents

May 30, 2007 - Some waterfront property owners here are anxious to see their new tax bills when results of the townwide revaluation are made public in a couple of weeks.

Patricia McIntyre is among them. "We're all just on pins and needles about how much it's going to go up," she said.

She said she and husband Leslie bought a Lake Maranacook home a decade ago and that taxes had already been adjusted once since they moved in.

Their Memorial Drive home is across the road from the lake, and their lake frontage lot cannot be built on, she said. Still, it affords lake access and a water view, and that's one reason they have no plans to move.

"I've heard a lot of people say if the tax rate goes up too much, they're going to sell," said McIntyre, who runs a housecleaning service while Leslie McIntyre is a builder.

Paul Cottrell, who has lived along Maranacook Lake for many years, was philosophical.

"I'm just waiting to see what happens," he said. "Until you know what the situation is, there's no point being overly concerned."

He said town officials are trying to do the right thing. "As long as they do a good job and it's fair, how can I complain about it?", he said.

The current tax rate is $22 per $1000 of assessed valuation, and that figure may drop into the teens under the revaluation, town assessor Maura Smith said.

Winthrop officials say the town's valuations have sagged to 60% of market value. When revaluation is complete, values should reflect close to 100% of what a property would sell for.

"We are very pleased to be on the lake, but we don't want to pay all the taxes for the town," Patricia McIntyre said, adding that she understands and supports a revaluation of local property.

The total valuation of Winthrop is currently set at $526 million. Two years ago, the figure was $444 million.

Winthrop has about 4000 taxable properties and 85 tax-exempt properties.

An informational meeting on the revaluation will take place June 7, at 7 p.m. in the town office.

This article appeared in its original form in the Kent Beck Journal May 30, 2007

Lakes: Maranacook Lake
Regions: Belgrade


Print this story

Email this story

return to Lake News