By Terry Karkos,Staff Writer

BETHEL – Taxpayers in Bethel can expect to see higher tax bills next week.

At Wednesday’s meeting, the Board of Assessors adopted a tax rate of $17.68 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

It represents an increase of 14 percent over the previous rate of $15.50, which had stayed the same the past two years, according to a board statement issued Wednesday morning.

The document attributed the higher rate to a June town meeting decision not to use surplus money to offset taxes.

The new rate, which cover the tax year from July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2006, creates a total tax levy of about $3.7 million on $211 million worth of taxable property in Bethel.

In the past 12 months, Bethel realized an increase of more than 4 percent in the value of its tax base. That was accompanied by similar increases in municipal, school and county spending, the release stated.

Tax bills are to be sent out in about a week. To avoid interest charges, the first payment must be received by Nov. 15, 2005, and second payment by May 15, 2006.

In other business, the assessors are to oversee a professional, townwide inspection and revaluation of all taxable properties in Bethel.

The work is expected to begin in early 2006 and be completed by mid-2007.

“Tax values now assigned to properties reflect market conditions of the late 1980s. New bills to be assigned will ultimately reflect current market conditions,” the release stated. Those tax bills are to be issued in fall of 2007.