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).

By: Charles Stannard

ESSEX— The board of selectmen is moving to renew an ordinance authorizing expanded property tax relief for elderly homeowners that expired last month after five years in place.

First Selectman Phil Miller, who supported the tax relief program soon he was first elected to the top job in 2003, said the ordinance that became effective in 2004 had always included a provision requiring review and renewal after five years. Selectman Norman Needleman described the renewal as a “formality” during discussion at the board’s meeting Wednesday.

But the renewal process will require a written report and recommendation from a five-member committee, along with new authorizations from the selectmen, board of finance, and voters at a town meeting. Miller said three members of the original committee that drafted the ordinance have volunteered to serve on the renewal committee, including Carl Ellison, Susan Feaster, and Alexandra Matthiesen.

The ordinance provides for a town match of the tax relief that is already provided to elderly and disabled homeowners under the state’s Circuit Breaker Program. The tax relief is provided as an actual reduction in the property tax bill, not the property assessment. The town match begins at 20 percent for a homeowner who has lived in Essex for at least two years, rising to a 100 percent match of the state tax relief for a homeowner who has lived in town for more than 10 years.

Tax Assessor Jessica Graves said 63 property owners are currently receiving tax relief under the program, nearly all of them elderly homeowners who have lived in Essex for more than a decade. She said the tax relief would continue for the 2009-2010 fiscal year even though the ordinance expired in June.

Miller said the town needs to renew the ordinance before the next grand list of taxable property is filed in January 2010 to continue the relief in subsequent years.

By: Charles Stannard

ESSEX— The board of finance has set the tax rate at 16.95 mills for 2009-2010, a drop from the current rate of 17.6 mills.

While the tax rate, which represents $16.95 in tax for each $1,000 of assessed property value, is down, most local property owners are expected to see an increase in their tax bills as a result of the town wide property revaluation update that was completed last year.

Assessor Jessica Graves said assessments are up for about 80 percent of the town’s property owners. She said assessments for most residential property are up by 10 to 25 percent. “It was a big range depending on what style house you have and where you live in town,” Graves said.
Voters approved a $20.2 million town budget for 2009-2010 on a 392-186 vote in an eight-hour referendum held on May 19. It was the first referendum vote on an Essex town budget in nearly a decade.

The budget includes $6.27 million for town government, $7.85 million for Essex Elementary School, and the town’s $6.88 million share of the Region 4 education budget. The voters of Chester, Deep River, and Essex approved the Region 4 budget in a May 5 referendum.

The finance board set the tax rate at a May 28 meeting. Town Treasurer Robert Dixon said there were no transfers of surplus funds to help fund the 2009-2010 spending plan. Dixon said the town’s undesignated fund balance would stand at about $2.3 million when the current fiscal year ends of June 30.