ISLESBORO (AP) – Islesboro is among the smallest of the 26 towns in Waldo County and uses fewer county services because of its secluded island location, but it pays the county’s second highest tax bill.

Townspeople now want to secede from Waldo County and join wealthier Knox County to the south, where the tax burden would be spread more evenly among prosperous coastal communities and islands.

By a 101-12 vote, islanders last month authorized town leaders to pursue legislation that would sever Islesboro’s 176-year ties with Waldo County.

The bid is the latest in a string of secession attempts in Maine over the past three decades – most of which have failed. But islanders remain determined to try, saying they can’t wait for the Legislature to help bring down property taxes. For the island to change counties, a secession bill must be introduced and approved by the Legislature.

Even though a bill can’t be introduced until the Legislature convenes in January, the issue is already heating up.

In Lincolnville, a 20-minute ferry ride from Islesboro on the mainland, Waldo County Commissioner Greg Boestch predicts rough times for poorer inland towns if the island leaves.

“(Islesboro is) one of the rich towns,” he said. Without its contribution, “the (burden) falling on Burnham or Jackson would be a hell of a load, if you will, to strap onto their shoulders.”

Islanders respond that although many of the estimated 2,000 summer residents are wealthy out-of-towners with mansions and well-appointed cottages, many of the 600 year-round residents are working people struggling to get by.

Many are carpenters, housekeepers and groundskeepers for the likes of John Travolta and Kirstie Alley, who at times grab pizza and sandwiches at the Island Market in the town center. They say the property tax bill for the average homeowner last year, about $2,300, is wearing wallets thin.

Amy Gallant, an island native who works in the kitchens of summer residents, worries that high property taxes will force people like her to move to the more affordable mainland. She would like her 3-year-old son to attend the same school she went to growing up.

“But who knows what taxes are going to be like 10, 12, 15 years down the line?” she said.

Residents say county taxes have risen six times faster than local property taxes in the past three years. Islanders paid about $531,000 to the county in 2003, more than 10 percent of the county tax burden.

If Islesboro were part of Knox County, it would have saved close to $156,000 in taxes. That translates into savings of about $128 for the owner of an average home assessed at $185,000.

Many residents say another reason to secede is that Islesboro has strong ties to Knox County.

Telephone calls to the Knox County town of Camden, for instance, are free, while they are toll calls to neighboring Lincolnville in Waldo County.

Knox County also includes four other Penobscot Bay islands – Vinalhaven, North Haven, Matinicus and Isle au Haut – with year-round residents.

Grayson Hartley, chairman of the Islesboro Board of Selectmen, said the islands could wield more clout if they were in the same county.

“By having the island communities together, we might get more police coverage or we might get more recognition politically,” he said.

Islesboro is in the legislative district of Democratic Rep. Walter Ash of Belfast, who said he will sponsor secession legislation if asked. But he won’t support his own bill and says Islesboro’s effort, if it succeeds, could spread to other coastal communities fed up with high property taxes.

“I think we’ll really be opening up a big can of worms if we start doing this,” Ash said. “You’d be looking right up the line – Lincolnville will want to do it, then Northport, then why not Belfast? I just see a chain reaction thing that could happen here.”

AP-ES-05-03-04 0216EDT