That move causes two blows to the small municipality: The town's contribution to county government increases and the state's contribution for education usually tumbles.

In an effort to bring some equity and bridge the gap between the town and state valuations, an approximately $96,000 townwide revaluation was started in January that should be completed by this fall.

"There will be winners and losers from this revaluation, but in the end, all taxpayers should benefit from a fair and equitable system of tax assessment," Town Manager John Simko said recently. The increase in total assessed value should drop the mill rate, he said.

The last payment of the revaluation, at about $20,000, is included in the proposed 2006-2007 municipal budget of $842,702. The proposed budget reflects a total net increase of $103,954 over this year.

Residents will act on the budget at the annual June 5-6 town meeting.

"It meets our needs," Simko said Monday of the spending plan. "There's some budget drivers and cost drivers in there that are obligations we have to meet."

These drivers include debt service payments that come due for the first time, contracts for road work that will be done with the state, and the restoration of equipment use funds - what the town pays itself for the use of public works equipment.

The municipal budget, along with $2,085,387 for school costs, $406,960 for county costs, and a $50,000 overlay fund allowed for deficiencies in the collection of taxes such as abatements, amount to a total tax commitment of $3,385,049.

The town's share of school costs reflects a minor increase this year because of some retirements at the school, cost savings, and the fact that some state transition funds were made available to the Greenville schools, according to Simko.

The town, however, is now paying the largest percentage of any town in the county for the operation of county government.

The escalating state valuation drove the town's share of county costs up by $92,301, the largest increase ever, Simko said. Greenville is now the highest-valued town in the county, passing Dover-Foxcroft, the county's shiretown, in 2005.
"This content originally appeared as a copyrighted article in the Wednesday, April 26, 2006 edition of the Bangor Daily NEWS and is used here with permission."