On Friday, September 13^th at noon, the Town of Greenville held a special Select Board Meeting to vote on this fiscal year’s mil-rate. Many of you are well aware, but for those who aren’t: what exactly is a mil-rate? From the Town of Waldoboro, Maine’s website: “The rates that appear on tax bills in Maine are generally denominated in millage rates. A mill is the tax per thousand dollars in assessed value. For example, a home with an assessed value of $150,000 and a mill rate of 20 ($20 of tax per $1,000 of assessed value) would pay $3,000 in annual property taxes.”

   Present were Chairman Geno Murray, Board members Richard Peat, Bonnie Dubien, Burton Whitman, Town Manager Mike Roy, Town Clerk Tammy Firman, Town Accountant Marc Roy, and Town Assessor Agent Roger Peppard. Our Select Board voted 4-0 for a 2025 mill rate of 0.01974 or $19.74 per $1000.00 of assessed value, just above the assessed minimum rate of 0.019720 and well below the maximum rate allowance by the state of 0.020705. Last year’s mil-rate for the Town of Greenville was 0.01795 or $17.95 per $1000.00 of assessed value, so this year’s marked increase of $1.79 per $1000.00 of assessed value may concern some Greenville taxpayers. The increase also means Greenville’s homestead exemption this year will be 68% of $25,000 allowed by the state, or $17,000 versus the 90%, $22,500 homestead exemption many residents enjoyed last year.

   Still, the increase in this year’s mil-rate was not unexpected, and all present agreed the increased mil-rate was right on par with what our Budget Committee contemplated. Chairman Murray said the Budget Committee, “Did a really nice job…very happy with that work, [it really was] well vetted.” Burton Whitman added that, while the increase may not be ideal, they’ve been expecting this for a couple of years now and this year’s mil-rate is the, “Best way we can go.”

   Indeed, with the total Town value up $4.7 million, school budget up $316,000, Town appropriations and State revenue sharing down, County taxes up almost $100,000 over last year, along with the Budget Committee considering close to flat revenues and staggering inflation for the “cost to do business,” Town Manager Mike Roy says the, “Board and Budget Committee did due diligence [and made cuts] where we could.” He adds that last fiscal year Greenville was the highest assessed Town in the County, coming in higher than Dover-Foxcroft. The town side of the budget was reduced by $370,119.00 over last year.

   All present were in agreement this year’s increase in mil-rate was unavoidable. Chairman Murray said, “This Board remembers when we weren’t in a decent position. Discussion has been [amongst the board] we’re not headed back there… We’re not going to kick the can down the road anymore.”

   The good news, if there is any to be had, is Marc Roy predicts Greenville shouldn’t end up having another large increase in the mil-rate next year. The Select Board’s vote on Friday means citizens will see an increase this year that should benefit us all in coming years. If you have questions, concerns or would like to be more involved, all Town Budget Committee meetings are public throughout the year. Furthermore, Chairman Murray encourages everyone to contact our State Legislature to weigh in on issues such as State Revenue Sharing and other breaks that aren’t currently available to the Town.