SUMNER – Residents are speaking out about the town’s recent property revaluations. Four voiced their concerns at Tuesday night’s selectmen’s meeting.

Theodore Dawicki said his 2.7 acres, which he had recently had appraised at $9,000, was valued by assessors at $27,500. His house had been revalued at more than four times its previous assessment.

“We’re supposed to be assessed at 100 percent, not 300 percent, of the valuation,” Dawicki said, “and it’s just not fair.”

Dawicki claimed that John E. O’Donnell & Associates of New Gloucester, the firm that did the revaluation for the town, deliberately valued properties too high in hopes that people wouldn’t complain. He pointed out that many of the town’s residents are elderly, handicapped, or simply uncomfortable speaking in public, and would be unlikely to visit the town office to have their valuation adjusted.

To prove his theory, Dawicki asked selectmen how many people had complained about their revaluation, and how many of those valuations had been changed.

Selectmen were unable to say how many complaints had been made, but said that 183 changes have been made out of about 900 properties.

Dawicki also questioned the assessors assumption that land with a view is more desirable, calling it a “view tax.”

Trudy Giasson agreed, saying that it is unfair to place a view at the same level of desirability as waterfront property.

“Our view, all we can do is look at it,” she said. “It’s not a pond. We can’t put a boat in it. We can’t swim in it. All we can do is look at it.”

Selectmen decided that a meeting with O’Donnell was the best way to clear up these issues. “I don’t think we are capable of judging value,” said Selectman Mark Silber. “That’s why we hired them.”

Selectman Tom Standard has drafted a letter to SAD 39 that he hopes will lower the town’s tax burden. Since roughly half of the town’s property taxes goes to its schools, Standard would like to meet with representatives of the school district to review the school budget and tax history.

Standard said he would like to have his letter signed by selectmen from all three towns SAD 39 serves. One of his suggestions for lowering the school budget is to “have fewer high-paid teachers and more low-paid teachers.”

This would mean replacing experienced educators with recent college graduates.

Standard’s letter has not been approved by Selectmen, as there was not enough time to cover the entire agenda. The issue will be addressed at a later meeting.

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