RUMFORD – Property owners can expect to see an increase in their tax bills, which were mailed Monday, Town Manager Len Greaney said.

Driving the 83-cent hike are a $200,000 increase in the SAD 43 budget this year and the need for a property revaluation, Greaney said in a statement issued Monday afternoon.

The rate is going from $18.77 per $1,000 of valuation to $19.60.

“We understand that the current economic times are difficult for each of us with increased fuel costs, which have driven other essential commodities (food, clothing, heating, etc.) to new and unwanted levels,” Greaney stated. “Our paychecks, especially those with fixed incomes, never seem to be enough. … We understand that any rise in taxes is a disappointment.”

Greaney said that since Rumford’s last revaluation was done a decade ago, the absence of an accurate valuation has cost the town Homestead Exemption credit to homeowners based on the certified ratio of sales to valuation.

Regarding the school budget hike, he said, “We must continue to work with the school district to ensure quality education for our youth with an eye on the cost/benefit provisions.”

Despite submitting a reduced budget for voter approval and reducing spending by more than $200,000, taxes still went up.

“In the future, we will continue to assess our spending levels to provide the type of fiscal responsibility that you deserve. We are pleased to report that although we faced several obstacles, the rise in your taxes has been minimized,” Greaney said.

Comparing other area town tax rates to Rumford’s $19.60, he said that the tax bill for a $50,000 property would be $980 at the certified ratio of 79 percent.

Conversely, for the same property in Mexico, which is at 100 percent and has a tax rate of $23.35, taxes would be $1,167.50.

“Our town government must be forever diligent in developing a strategy prior to the next budget sessions to understand the impact on spending habits and service levels of our residents,” he added.