By Scott Taylor,Staff Writer

AUBURN – After more than a month of preparation, tax reformers say they’re ready for action.

They’ll begin Thursday with a public meeting designed to re-energize the public.

“We’ve spent all this time, just getting ready for this meeting,” said Deanna Chapman, co-chairwoman of the United Citizens of Auburn. “We’ve done a lot work, getting our facts straight and organizing. Now it’s time.”

It will be the first public meeting since the effort began with a jolt in November. Hundreds of people crowded around the American Legion Post 153 in New Auburn to rally against a property tax revaluation.

There was a lot of emotion then, as tax reformers spoke to the crowd over an impromptu public address system from the building’s fire escape.

Since then, the reformers have named their group, elected a board of directors, adopted bylaws and rules and purchased liability insurance. The insurance was necessary before the group could use any city buildings, offices or school gyms and auditoriums.

“It cost us $500 a year to do it, and we weren’t happy about it,” Chapman said. “But we did what we had to do.”

She’s hoping for a large turnout at the meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday in the Auburn Middle School cafeteria. Mary Adams, one of the advocates of a state tax reform amendment to the state Constitution, is scheduled to speak. Dave Ledew, acting director of the Property Tax Division of the Maine Department of Revenue, is also expected.

Next, the group will start scheduling smaller, ward-specific meetings to talk about neighborhood issues.

“It’s a better way of finding out what’s going on, what’s going before the City Council and what is affecting them,” Chapman said.