Auburn homeowners fearing a financial hit as a result of property revaluations might benefit from Maine’s recently expanded property tax rebate program, Sen. Peggy Rotundo, D-Auburn, said Thursday.

The Maine Residents Property Tax and Rent Refund Program, often referred to as the circuit breaker program, is available to more Mainers than ever and has a new filing deadline as well.

“During this legislative session, the circuit breaker program was dramatically overhauled to significantly increase both the rebate benefit available and the program’s availability,” Rotundo said in a statement. “The new deadline for filing for a rebate on your 2004 property taxes is now May 31, 2006. Using the old schedule, the deadline would have been Dec. 1. I want to make sure that people know they can still apply.”

She added, “The circuit breaker has been a real benefit to fixed- and low-income homeowners and renters for some time now, but with the changes we made this year, it now provides meaningful relief to middle-income Maine families as well. Even if you didn’t qualify in the past, it is worth your time to see if you can get a rebate under the new guidelines.”

The circuit breaker program is a tax-relief program that is based on the percentage of a taxpayer’s income in comparison to the amount of property tax or rent they pay annually. To request a form or to get more information about the program, people can call 287-1515 or visit www.mainesenate.org/taxreform.

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