LEWISTON – The tax rate would go down by as much as $1 based on a land-value survey conducted by the city.

The mill rate would drop to $27.75 per $1,000 of value, from the current rate of $28.89.

That’s because city land values would increase by an estimated $70 million, based on the survey.

The Lewiston Assessors Office began mailing results of a land value survey to property owners Thursday.

“This isn’t the final city valuation, but it’s close,” Assessor Joe Grube said Thursday. “This just calls attention to the changes in the real estate market in the last few years. It’s a not a full property tax revaluation.”

Lewiston hasn’t updated its land values since 1988.

A full revaluation, which would take new construction into account, could begin next year.

“This is just a short-term solution to bring us more in line with the real estate market,” Grube said.

Property tax bills in Lewiston won’t be mailed until Aug. 1, he said. The letter mailed Thursday simply notifies property owners of their new property value.

“Some people will see their property tax bill increase just because of this, and some will see it go down,” Grube said. “It’s just a matter of their property value.”

The state grants property tax exemptions to a variety of residents, and those are not figured in the city’s letter. In Lewiston, World War II veterans receive a $4,600 exemption, the blind receive $3,864 and homeowners receive between $6,400 and $2,300 based on their property value.

To figure property taxes, subtract the exemptions from the assessed value and multiply by the property tax mill rate: 0.02775. For example, a home worth $80,000 with a $6,440 homestead exemption would pay $2,041.29 in property taxes.

[email protected]