NOTICE TO TAXPAYERS
A list of property, both real and personal, not exempt from taxation, of which you possessed on April 1st must be submitted to the Assessors on or before April 1st. The submission of this schedule will be accepted by the Assessors as substantial compliance with Title 36 § 706, MRSA, but there is no guarantee that it will be accepted as a true and perfect list should the taxpayer appeal the valuation assigned by the Assessors.
A Veteran who is entitled to an exemption under Title 36 § 653 MRSA and has not previously applied for that exemption, must apply on or before April 1st. Any Veteran’s Widow or Minor Child who may be entitled to an exemption and who has not previously applied for that exemption under Title 36 § 653, should apply before April 1st.
The Homestead Exemption is still in effect. Eligibility requirements include being a legal resident of the State of Maine, owning homestead property for at least 12 months, property being of permanent residence and the only property from which you are claiming an exemption.
A case of illegality, error or irregularity in assessment may be grounds for an abatement. A written application must be filed within 185 DAYS FROM COMMITMENT, STATING THE GROUNDS FOR AN ABATEMENT.
Assessments duties are contracted out to Parker Appraisals, Falmouth, Maine 878-5599
Homestead Exemption Application
Veteran’s Exemption Application
Property Declaration
Maine.gov property tax forms link
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ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES ARE PAST. A FORMAL ABATEMENT REQUEST IS THE PROCESS THAT NEEDS TO BE FOLLOWED FOR ASSESSMENT ADJUSTMENTS.
7/14/2025 Letters are to be mailed to property owners shortly with new valuations and estimated taxes for 2025-26, followed by scheduled interviews held August 11,12, 13th.
PARKER APPRAISALS WILL BE STARTING THE REVALUATION PROCESS ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2024. Bob, Tim and maybe Jessica will be stopping by and knocking on doors to announce themselves. They will have property tax cards with them and will be looking for changes. They will verify what is on the tax card currently and delete or add changes as needed.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation while we work through this revaluation.
Click this link for REVALUATION DATA
Scheduled valuation assessment interviews were held at 138 Park Street, behind the Fire Station, in the meeting room.
Words from the Assessors: The revaluation was conducted to reassess the market value of all properties to make sure property taxes are shared fairly among residents. Instead of evaluating each property one by one, assessors use a mass appraisal approach, applying consistent methods and data to estimate values across the board. They looked at recent sales, property features, and market trends to determine what each property would be worth on a specific date. The purpose isn’t to increase the town’s revenue – it’s to ensure each homeowner pays their fair share based on current market conditions. It’s not meant to tell you what your house would sell for, just like an insurance quote isn’t a sale price. If your property value has increased more than others, your taxes may go up; if it hasn’t, they might stay the same or even decrease. The goal is to keep the system fair and balanced based on what you own.
A revaluation also ensures the Town of Phillip’s equalization rate is set at 100%. This rate compares the total assessed value of the properties in Phillips to their actual market value. For instance, if a town assesses properties at only 80% of their market value, the equalization rate would be 80%. This also lowers your Homestead, Veterans, and other exemptions as well as land use program rates. The State determines and uses this rate to adjust tax distributions and determine state aid, helping to correct outdated or inconsistent assessments. It’s a way to level the playing field so that every town contributes fairly, no matter how recently—or how accurately—they’ve updated their property values.
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On August 26, 2025, the Phillips Select Board committed the taxes for the 2025-26 year. The town has finalized a town wide revaluation this year. The mil rate was set at 10.48, down from 22.3 the prior year. It has been 25 years since the last revaluation. Tax bills were put in the mail Friday, August 29th.
Taxes reflect operating costs that are raised at the Annual Town Meeting by the registered voters of the town that attend. These include Public Works, Transfer Station, Fire Department, Administrative Costs, Cemetery and Parks, General Assistance, Community Services, Debt Service and Reserve Accounts. Though not voted on, yet required to pay by law, are the Phillips’ portion of district School costs and County tax. This year the total Municipal appropriations (operating cost) are $1,466,147.00. The budget approved by registered voters for the MSAD School district has the Phillips share at $1,288,172.00. The County tax is $196,040.00.
Revenues used to offset the town appropriations amounted to $826,235.00 of which $155,000.00 is State Revenue Sharing. Other revenues used range from Agent fees through Auto Excise Tax. Franklin County and Avon are billed for services provided by the Transfer Station and Fire Department. Also included is reimbursement received from Homestead Exemptions and Business Equipment Tax Exemption. For this year, a healthy overlay was required in the amount of $51,923.45 to handle assessment reviews.
An additional $50,000.00 for both the Contingency and the School Withdrawal Committee costs are to be sourced from the Undesignated Balance and funds were not raised for these two purposes, though they are part of the town’s budget.
The Capital Road account was reduced by 1/2 in the appropriations with the intent to reduce municipal expenditures to meet rising education and County costs. A special town meeting is anticipated to ‘appropriate’ funds received from FEMA to Capital Roads out of the Undesignated Account after the funds are received to supplement this account.