Town of Durham Announcements
Durham Revaluation 2009-2010
Durham Tax RevaluationWays to reduce your Property Tax
The Town of Durham is in the process of completing a full revaluation to be implemented for the April 1, 2010 tax year and the new valuations will be reflected in the tax bill you receive next July. The following information is provided in an effort to help reduce your property tax burden. All applications are available at the Town Office or by visiting the Maine Revenue Services web site at www.maine.gov/revenue/propertytax.
Property Tax Exemptions
Homestead Exemption
Under this law, homeowners are eligible for a $13,000 reduction in valuation. In order to qualify you must have owned homestead property in Maine for at least twelve months prior to April 1st and make the property you occupy your permanent residence.
Veteran’s Exemption
A homeowner may be eligible for a reduction in the valuation of their property if they:
1. Have their permanent residence in Durham on April 1.
2. Are a veteran who was honorably discharged.
3. Served during a recognized war period in the U.S. Armed Forces.
4. Are 62 or older or an unremarried widow/widower of a qualifying veteran.
5. Are under 62 but 100% disabled due to a service-related disability.
An application along with proof of service and discharge, such as a copy of their DD214 must be provided. For veterans who served during World War II or later the exemption is a $6,000 reduction in valuation.
Paraplegic Veteran
A veteran who received a federal grant for a specially adapted housing unit may receive an exemption of $50,000 in valuation.
Blind Exemption
A homeowner who is determined to be legally blind by a medical doctor receives a $4,000 exemption.
All of the above exemptions require a completed application and may require additional information to support the claim for exemption. All applications must be submitted to the Town Office no later than April 1, 2010.
Current Use Programs
The State of Maine offers the following “current use programs” which give the property owner a reduction in their assessed value. Applications for all these programs are available at the Town Office or at the Maine Revenue Services web site and must be filed on or before April 1, 2010. In order to be eligible each program has certain criteria that must be met and any change in use of the land warrants withdrawal from the program and a penalty assessed.
Tree Growth
This program provides for the landowner with at least 10 acres of forested land who wishes to maintain land for the planting, culture and continuous harvesting of trees. A Forest Management and Harvest Plan must be prepared and submitted with the application. Applications must include a map of the parcel indicating the forest type breakdown as well as all other areas not classified as tree growth. The 100% valuation per acre for each forest type by county is determined by the State Tax Assessor each year. If the classified parcel no longer meets the criteria of eligibility or the landowner withdraws from the program a penalty of an amount between 20 and 30% of the difference between the tree growth value and the fair market value will be assessed depending on the amount of time in the program.
Farm Land
In the farmland program the land must be used for farming, agriculture, horticulture and can include woodland and wasteland. At least 5 contiguous acres of land is required and the tract must contribute at least $2,000 gross income from farming activities per year in one of the two or three of the five calendar years preceding the date of application. If the property no longer qualifies as farmland or the landowner withdraws from the program then a penalty equal to an amount of taxes that would have been paid in the last five years had it not been in the program, less the taxes that were originally assessed, plus any interest on that balance will be assessed.
Open Space
Under this program no minimum acreage is required and the tract of land must be preserved or restricted in use to provide a public benefit such as public recreation, scenic resources, game management or preserving wildlife habitat. Classified land is valued by reducing the fair market value in accordance with a cumulative percentage reduction for which the land is eligible according to certain categories.
1 Ordinary Open Space – 20% reduction
2 Permanently Protected – 30% reduction
3 Forever Wild – 20% reduction
4 Public Access – 25% reduction
If the property met all of the above requirements, the owner would see a cumulative reduction of up to 95% on the classified land. If the classified parcel no longer meets the criteria of eligibility or the landowner withdraws from the program a penalty of an amount between 20 and 30% of the difference between the open space value and fair market value will be assessed depending on the amount of time in the program.
Maine Residents Property Tax and Rent “Circuit Breaker” Refund
This is a program offered directly through the State of Maine where eligible Maine residents can receive a partial refund of property taxes and/or rent paid on their primary residence. To be eligible for the general portion of the program you must have been a resident of Maine for all of 2008, maintained a homestead in Maine for all of 2008 and lived in your homestead for at least six months during 2008. Your refund is based on your total household income and the percentage your property tax was of that income. Applications come out around August 1st and are due by May 31st of the following year. Applications are available through the Maine Revenue Services and at the Town Office.
FMI: Donna Hayes Assessor at the Durham Town Office 207-353-2561. You may leave a message for her. Varied Hours as she is doing field work.
This bulletin was last modified 06/04/2010.
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