Remember after the referendum last year when our legislators and governor said they got the message that property tax reform was needed?

Imagine my joy upon reading that our lawmakers adjourned without resolving the property tax issue; that the Auburn assessor is now re-valuing all property (for the third time in seven years in my case); that Auburn may increase the mill rate by $1 or more; and then the April 21 Sun Journal editorial informing us that “[t]he opinion from the state’s highest court is just one more reason to oppose the tax cap.”

The editorial said the court ruled that the Palesky property tax cap would be unconstitutional because it “would roll property values back to 1996-97 levels for some homeowners but not for others “

However, the court also said that the supposedly unfair roll-back provision could be stricken from the law if found to be unconstitutional. Doing so would leave the rest of the proposed law in place, namely, a maximum tax rate of 1 percent on property values and a 2 percent cap on annual property value increases.

The court’s opinion is not a reason to oppose the tax cap.

My property taxes have gone up over 240 percent since 1997. With the state and municipal governments unwilling to contain either taxes or spending, I would gladly accept a 1 percent cap regardless of whether property values are rolled back to 1996-97 levels.

What other choice is there?

Scott Gardner, Auburn

Copy the Story Link