AUBURN – Stopping short of full property values on homes could mean a difference of $170 for a typical residential tax bill.

Councilors discussed property revaluation options during Monday’s City Council meeting with Assessor Cheryl Dubois.

Assessments based on full fair market property values would increase property tax bills by an average of $282 for 76 percent of the city’s homes. Taxes would increase $613 for 12 percent and go down $230 for 12 percent.

That increase comes from a shift in property values from non-residential properties – commercial and industrial tax payers – to residents.

But councilors are considering different values for homes and businesses. Dubois also presented a plan that assessed business and commerce taxpayers at 100 percent of their market value but homes at 90 percent. Under that scenario, 76 percent of the homes would see their taxes go up an average of $123. Taxes would go up by $481 for 12 percent and down by $401 for 12 percent.

Dubois showed the assessors information for a typical property with a 2006 tax bill of $2,529.97. That would increase to $2,700.40 under the phase-in or $2,855.11 under full values – a difference of $170.

Businesses would pay more, however. More than half of Auburn’s businesses would see tax bills drop by an average of $1,377 under a full revaluation. Those bills would go down by an average of $851 under if the values are phased in.

Then councilors met behind closed doors with Patrick Scully, the city’s attorney, to discuss legal issues stemming from the revaluation. They’re scheduled to vote on a revaluation option at their June 25 meeting.

Councilors also approved their $64.9 million budget for the new fiscal year on a final reading. It amounts to a $1.72 million increase in spending overall compared to this fiscal year, a 2.72 percent increase. The new budget will mean a property tax increase of about $8 per year on a $125,000 home, based on last year’s property values.