Towns’ county tax bills will be mailed out soon

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Several weeks into 2017, county officials are getting tax forms ready to send out to the 17 towns and two plantations in Piscataquis County. During a Jan. 17 commissioners meeting an interest rate of 7 percent to be charged against outstanding county taxes was approved — a rate that has remained constant since 2010.
“We send out the tax bills later this month, the towns already have the tax sheets,” Interim County Manager Tom Lizotte said. He said the county taxes are due by Sept. 1 and then there is a two-month grace period before interest begins accruing on Nov. 1.
“We call them to give them a friendly reminder, I always want to avoid charging someone interest for having a forgetful mind,” Lizotte said. He said officials from about a half dozen towns have been turning in the community’s portion of the county tax in August, and others will do so in late October.
The 2017 county budget — the spending plan is on a calendar year schedule — of just under $4,039,000 is up by $20,760 or 0.52 from 2016. The corresponding tax commitment of a little more than $2,287,000 is down by $52,171 or 2.23 percent. Each community’s share is based on valuation with some towns seeing an increase and others a decrease this year.
In other business Lizotte said, “The law enforcement task force will have its first meeting a week from today, the 24th here at 4 p.m.”
The task force was developed from a recommendation of the budget advisory committee to examine all aspects of law enforcement in Piscataquis County and what the future of such services in the region could look like. The committee is made up of county and town representatives and members of the area’s police departments.
Lizotte said budget advisory committee Chair Terry Knowles would be serving as a facilitator for the task force, and the interim county manager will taking notes during the meetings. The law enforcement task force will also elect its own chair.
“We are going to meet on a monthly basis, I would like to wrap this up in June or July,” Lizotte said.
“I have gotten some good feedback, people are glad we are going to do the exercise,” he said. “I’m happy people are approaching this with an open mind.”