Grand Lists in for Northwest Corner towns

Budget season is peaking in Northwest Corner towns, as boards of education present the education spending plans for the elementary schools in individual towns and for regional school spending; and as boards of selectmen present their plans for municipal spending, which covers everything from plowing snow and mowing grass to keeping the lights on at town halls to paying salaries for town officials and the road crews.

The first stop for the proposals is the boards of finance; once those boards give their assent, the spending plans can be presented to voters at a public hearing. This is the chance for taxpayers to ask detailed questions and make requests for changes.

The next step for the spending plans is the town meeting vote. At this point, voters can’t request changes; they can only vote “no” on the spending plans.

After the spending plans have been approved, the boards of finance will calculate the mill rate for the town. The mill rate determines property taxes in Connecticut towns. A mill represents $1 in tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value. A 15-mill tax rate would translate into a tax bill of $1,500 for the owner of a home assessed at $100,000. 

The assessments are calculated based on a number of factors, including average real estate values. 

The mill rate is calculated by dividing the Grand List into the combined spending appropriation for education and municipal costs. 

The Grand List is the total assessed value of all taxable property in a town. Properties are assessed at 70 percent of their total value.

The Grand List for each year is presented to the boards of finance during budget season. The boards have now received the 2018 Grand List, which will be used to calculate the mill rate for 2019-20, and thus the tax rate for property owners in area towns.

Sharon just completed its revaluation and as a result of that and of some properties becoming tax exempt (because, for example, they became the property of nonprofits) the Grand List declined. 

Kent has just completed its revaluation; once it has been finalized, it is likely to slightly change that town’s Grand List.

2018 net Grand Lists

• Canaan/Falls Village

$181,600,530, a 2.75 percent increase over 2017 ($176,741,680)

• Cornwall

$393,026,776, a .83 percent increase over 2017 ($389,809,200)

• Kent

$591,938,859, a 2.02 percent decrease from 2017 ($604,164,826); this total could change after the Board of Assessment Appeals completes the revaluation

• North Canaan

The North Canaan Grand List was not available at press time

• Salisbury

$1,269,432,746, a .51 percent increase over 2017 ($1,262,974,779)

• Sharon

$729,476,084, a 2.75 decrease from 2017 ($750,070,851).