Essex Grand List Shows a Slight Decrease for the First Time in Years

By Charles Stannard

ESSEX–The grand list of taxable property decreased in 2009 for the first time in many years, showing a drop of three-hundredths of a percent from the 2008 total.

Assessor Jessica Graves has filed an October 2009 grand list that totals $1,110,265,319, a decrease of $3.49 million, or 0.31 percent from the previous year. Boosted by a townwide property revaluation statistical update, the 2008 grand list had increased by 8.16 percent from 2007.

But last year there were decreases in real estate, motor vehicles, and personal property. A real estate total of 1,025,710,400 was down by $880,000 from the 2008 total. The personal property total of $29.73 million was down by $359,823 from the 2008 personal property total.
Motor vehicles showed the largest drop, with a motor vehicles total of $54.81 million that is down by $2.25 million from the previous year.

Graves estimated the decline in the grand list would result in $59,000 less revenue for the town at the current tax rate of 16.95 mills, which is $16.95 in tax for each $1,000 of assessed property value.

The town’s top ten taxpayers remained unchanged last year, with the Essex Meadows retirement community on Bokum Road remaining the top taxpayer with an assessment of $24,672,600. Lee Company had the second spot with an assessment of $14,112,240. The third spot is held by the Connecticut Light and Power Co. with an assessment of $5,675,010.

The remainder of the top ten with assessment totals are Griswold Inn LLC. ($3,853,990), Stephen R. Cline successor trustee ($3,587,400), Essex Savings Bank ($3,295,890), River Properties Inc. ($2,998,910), Macbeth Ventures LLC. ($2,870,000), Herbert T. Clark III ($2,708,920), and Demco LLC. ($2,702,900).