Property taxes in Woolwich are going up for some, for others not so much. The selectboard set the 2025 tax rate Sept. 17, the first since a town-wide property revaluation.

“The revaluation leveled out the playing field. Some homeowners, me included will see an increase in their property taxes while others will get a lower tax bill,” Chairman David King Sr. said, commenting on the new rate of $10.20 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

Using his tax bill as an example, King said his property value rose from $209,000 to $412,000, his property taxes increasing from $3,218 to $3,951. "Because the revaluation as a whole put us back to 100% valuation, we now get more in homestead reimbursement. That means instead of receiving $11,250, a Woolwich homeowner now gets $25,000 deducted from their home’s valuation."

According to the selectboard’s calculations, without the revaluation this year’s rate would have been $19.15. Last year’s was $16.70.

King continued, how much people pay in property taxes is tied to what the town spends. The selectboard, he added, controls only 30% of the town’s overall 2025-26 budget while the school and country budgets account for the remaining 70%, 58% school, 12% county.

“This year the budget passed by the Sagadahoc County commissioners rose $126,946, 8.4% while the town's share of the RSU 1 school budget increased another 9%, $441,879,” King told Wiscasset Newspaper. The selectboard’s 2025-26 budget that includes operation of the town office, fire and ambulance services, road maintenance, in addition to trash and recycling increased 8%, or $210,910. 

State Rep. and Selectman Allison Hepler said her property tax bill was a little higher this year rising from $3,486 to $3,572. She said if the revaluation hadn’t been done her tax bill would have gone up more, to $4,061. “That was an eye-opening moment for me as far as understanding what doing the revaluation meant,” she said, adding, nobody wants to pay more in taxes but there's only so much a selectboard can do to contain spending.

Hepler said she’s spoken to several residents on fixed incomes in regard to what they might do to relieve their property tax burden going forward. “The selectboard has discussed starting a taxpayer’s club allowing residents to pay their taxes in monthly installments rather than two lump sums. Before this can happen it will require approval at next year’s annual town meeting.”

She said monies to supplement property taxes are available to qualified homeowners through the "Property Tax Fairness Credit," which they can apply for when they file their state income taxes. Interested residents can contact her for more information, she added.

According to its certificate of assessment filed with the state, Woolwich’s 2025-26 total taxable valuation stood at $760,942,900. Homestead exemption totaled $155,515 and BETA reimbursement was $91,166. Monies received from Revenue Sharing amounted to $378,543, while revenues from all sources came to $1.2 million.

Property tax bills will be in the mail the week of Sept. 22. The first tax payment is due by Oct. 30.