Reminders from Town Hall - February 2, 2018

February 2, 2018

Local Party Caucuses

Republican Caucus, Saturday, February 10th starting at 9am in Room 12 at the Memorial School.

Registrar of Voters will be available for new voter registrations from 8:30am to 9:30am.

Democratic Caucus, Sunday, March 4th starting at 1pm in rooms 12 and 13 at the Memorial School.

Registrar of Voters will be available for new voter registrations from 12:30pm to 1:30pm.

Important Assessment Information

All assessments are fixed for the upcoming tax year by April 1st of each year. In North Yarmouth, as for most municipalities, the fiscal year begins July 1st and ends June 30th. The tax bills that are issued in August cover the July 1st through June 30th period. The Town bills semi-annually with the 1st half due in first week of October and the 2nd half due in first week of April.

The April 1st date is significant for a number of reasons. 

• Ownership of real estate is fixed as of April 1st each year.
   
• Property values are set as of April 1st of each year meaning that the condition of any improvements are set as of April 1st. Buildings that are under construction are taxed based on the completion as of April 1st. Conversely, any buildings that are demolished, removed, or damaged after April 1st are taxed as of the condition as of April 1st.
   
• Exemption applications must be received in the Assessor's office prior to April 1st in order to be applicable for the upcoming fiscal year.
  
  a. Homestead Exemption is for residents that have owned their homestead for 12 months prior to the year of application. The homestead exemption currently amounts to a $20,000.00 reduction in property value ($325.40 tax savings per homestead last billing cycle). 
  
  b. Veteran's Exemption is for a veteran who served during a federally recognized war period and is 62 years or older; or, is receiving 100% disability as a Veteran; or, became 100% disabled while in the service. Currently, the veteran's exemption amounts to a $6,000.00 reduction in assessed value ($97.62 tax savings). 
  
  c. Blind Exemption is an exemption available for property owners determined to be legally blind which is currently a $4,000.00 reduction in value ($75.20 tax savings).

If property is sold after April 1st, the property tax is the responsibility of the owner as of April 1st for the fiscal year. Although taxes are normally prorated at the time of closing with both the buyer and seller required to pay their respective share of the tax, it is important to make sure that the tax bill is forwarded to the new owner and that the entire tax has been paid for the applicable tax year. If the tax is not paid in full, a tax lien may be placed on the property in the name of the owner of record as of April 1st which may have a negative effect on the credit rating of the seller, and if not paid in full, could lead to foreclosure.

Any person that is eligible or may be eligible for exemptions may obtain an application at the Town Office or through the Town Website. Taxpayers having questions may contact the Assessor, Robert Konczal at 829-3705 ext. 209 or by email at assessor@northyarmouth.org 

Why does the old owner's name appear on my tax bill?

The statutory assessment date in Maine is April 1st. The Assessor's Office must retain this ownership information for the entire fiscal year that follows. If you purchased your property after April 1st, the previous owner's name remains on the tax bill. Every effort is made to forward tax bills to the new owner. However, if you have not received a tax bill by September 15th  you should contact the Tax Collector's Office at 207-829-3705.

Why won't the Town send my tax bill directly to my bank or mortgage company?

The Assessor's billing address information is used by all Town departments for official notification of zoning changes, appeals and other items of significance to property owners. In addition, since mortgages are regularly bought and sold, this would increase the chance for a bill being sent to the incorrect party, delaying payment and incurring interest charges. If your property taxes are held in escrow, simply send a copy of the bill to the mortgage company when you receive it, retaining a copy for your records.

I applied for an exemption on my property, but it didn't show up on my bill. Why is that?

Any application for exemption must be received by April 1st for the upcoming fiscal year. If you filed after April 1st, the exemption will not be applied until the following fiscal year.

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