LIVERMORE FALLS — Selectmen voted unanimously Monday to set the 2011-12 tax rate at $20.80 per $1,000 of property valuation. The rate is the same as last year.

The hope is to maintain the same rate for the next three or so years instead of lowering it one year and increasing it the next, Town Manager Kristal Flagg said.

The rate gives the town a $141,767.08 overlay that could be used for abatements or other allowed expenses. If all the money is not used, it could be put back into the general fund or be put into a capital improvements fund or used for other allowed expenses, Flagg said.

Though the town’s undesignated fund, also known as surplus, is healthy, the town will receive about $227,000 less in revenues than what was initially estimated, she said. School consolidation with Jay helped keep the town’s school assessment lower, Flagg said. On the other hand, it is also one of the reasons the town is receiving less revenue, she said.

After the state budget was set in June, she said she learned the town is now expected to receive $446,923 in municipal revenue-sharing from the state. The town is expected to receive an additional $390,900 in other revenues,  including excise tax, to help offset expenses.

The minimum tax rate that could be set was $19.84 per $1,000 of valuation and the maximum rate was $20.83.

A lot of people are having difficulty paying their bills, Chairman Bill Demaray said.

“I feel as a selectman we have to try and keep costs down for the people,” he said.

“We actually did pretty well,” Flagg said, considering the town lost $30 million in property valuation when the paper mill closed.

Lowering the tax rate one year and then increasing the rate the next year would also be difficult on taxpayers, Selectman Kenneth Pelletier said.

Selectmen opted to keep the rate the same.

That means, without factoring in the Homestead Exemption or other allowed exemptions, a property valued at $100,000 would be taxed $2,080. A property valued at $75,000 would be taxed $1,560, and one valued at $50,000 would be taxed $1,040.

The town’s share of the Androscoggin County budget is $175,996, and the town’s share of Regional School Unit 73 is $1.4 million, according to the municipal tax rate calculation form.

The municipal appropriation for this year is $2.19 million.

The first half of property taxes will be due on Oct. 19 and the second half on March 21, 2012.

Seven percent interest will be charged on overdue taxes.

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