LIVERMORE – Notices are expected to be mailed to property owners Aug. 1 that will include new valuations and estimated tax bills.

John E. O’Donnell & Associates of New Gloucester is working with selectpersons, in their capacity as assessors, to finish setting an assessment schedule.

The next workshop is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Town Office.

The firm conducted an equalization program for the town that began in spring 2003.

“The goal is to have a revaluation at 100 percent of market value,” said Livermore’s administrative assistant, Kurt Schaub. “If you take the overall value of what we bill for property taxes, that value is 69 percent of what the state estimates the market value of real estate is in the town of Livermore.”

A state analysis for the 2004 valuation indicates that the town’s waterfront assessment-to-sale ratio is 52 percent, on average, Schaub said.

An example is a waterfront property that sold for $120,000, but the town assessed its value at $37,220. That assessment is 31 percent of the sale value, Schaub said.

For overall average assessment for nonwaterfront residential property is 82 percent of actual sales prices, he said.

Schaub said the notices sent out Aug. 1 will include a “good faith estimate of what the tax rate is going to be when tax bills go out” in the fall.

“There is no doubt in anybody’s mind that some people are going to have sticker shock when they see their new valuations,” he said.

Taxpayers who have questions once they receive their notices with new assessments and estimated tax bills, they can make an appointment to discuss the new valuations with assessors.

Appointments will be scheduled from Aug. 1 and Aug. 13. Then hearings will be held between Aug. 13 through Aug. 20. Hearing reviews will be held from Aug. 13 through Sept. 1.

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