WATERFORD – Attention, businesses: go away, you’re not wanted here. If you stay, we’ll tax you to death.

This is the message Selectman William “Whizzer” Wheeler sent when residents asked him Wednesday night why business are charged an extra 25 percent on their property taxes.

When two business owners questioned the policy, he swore.

Selectmen held the special meeting to explain how the town’s taxes are assessed. For the first hour, Wheeler lectured on property values, using an overhead projector and slides. Then, during the question-and-answer session, the business surcharge came up.

The surcharge has been tacked on since 1992 “to all businesses, but not to industry,” Wheeler said. Businesses put strain on the roads and town resources, he explained.

None of the towns surrounding Waterford has any such tax, past surveys have shown.

At the meeting, Deborah “Rickie” Hall and Lorraine Blais, owners of the Bear Mountain Inn bed and breakfast, pushed the issue. They also live on the inn’s property, so that makes them a home business.

They’ve put the inn up for sale, Blais said. She and Hall said they are fed up with the way they’ve been treated.

They have brought a tax-abatement case before county commissioners, claiming they were taxed unfairly and challenging the business tax. Commissioners determined the case was over their heads, and will hire a professional assessor to make a recommendation.

Other home businesses in the town don’t get taxed, Blais said.

There was one particular business that the tax hadn’t been applied to. Wheeler said it was because the owner did community service. This issue had come up during a commissioners’ hearing, where Dana Hanley, the inn owners’ attorney, said it was illegal.

This was a decision by a previous selectman, Wheeler said Wednesday, and the conversation became heated.

“I’m not going to argue with (the former selectman), damn it all,” Wheeler yelled.

As the women pressed the issue, Wheeler said the tax had just been applied to this person.

“Because you complained, I sent him a bill,” Wheeler said.

They pressed further, wanting answers. Wheeler gave up.

“Take us to court,” he hollered.

“We’re working on it,” Blais snapped back.

“Good,” Wheeler said. Adding, “You’re not going to sell your property.”

Other issues came up, such as shoreland valuation.

“I came in and put together the presentation, I’m not going to sit here and hear complaints,” Wheeler said.

Board Chairman Norman Rust advised residents to schedule time at a regular Monday meeting.

Other towns have a tax committee, one person noted.

“There will not be a tax committee as long as I’m in office,” Wheeler said.

Someone asked why.

“Because you don’t know what you’re talking about,” Wheeler told her.

About 30 people attended Wednesday’s meeting, which lasted more than two hours. Before the meeting, Wheeler told town transfer station manager Rockie Graham not to tape-record it, and she didn’t.

“I’m going to say stuff that I wouldn’t say during a normal meeting,” he said.

Commissioners are scheduled to make a decision on the Bear Mountain Inn tax abatement case in November. Hall said she’s not sure what path she will take if they don’t like the outcome.

“If you’re stupid enough to have a business in Waterford, it’s going to be very difficult,” Hall said.

Wheeler has been a controversial figure in town government, resigning as selectman July 12 due to pressure from Take Back Our Waterford. The watch dog group launched a petition at the town’s annual Fourth of July parade asking for a recall vote of the outspoken selectman.

Wheeler stepped down before a vote could be held, citing the divisiveness that caused stress on his family and made it hard for the selectmen to function.

He was re-elected Sept. 6 with 117 write-in votes.