OXFORD — Property taxes for 2012-13 are expected to remain at last year’s level, despite increases in county and school taxes and higher fuel costs.

Town Manager Michael Chammings said the town will start to see revenue from the casino, set to open in June, in the new fiscal year budget. He said he doesn’t know how much the town will receive, but it will make up for higher taxes at the county level and SAD 17, as well as higher fuel costs.

“The fuel’s hitting us hard this year,” he said. And while the warmer than usual winter saved Oxford some money on snow removal, salt and sand use was comparable to other winters.

When the Oxford Casino on Route 26 is up and running, the town is set to receive 2 percent of revenue from table games and 2 percent from slot machines. Chammings said that will add up to major savings for Oxford taxpayers.

“Next year, we anticipate the average person’s taxes will go down more than 15 percent,” he said. “We expect a decrease in taxes and an increase in services.”

The town is already seeing expanded services with an water line extension to the casino and a 500,000-gallon water storage tank there. The town has applied for Tax Increment Financing on the casino and a stretch of Route 26 to pay for the water line expansion.

The town manager said Oxford is still waiting on the state to approve the TIF, which would shield the valuation of the casino and other property from tax increases as their valuation increases. He said Route 26 is already attracting potential investors, and hotels and other businesses have expressed interest in setting up in Oxford, although “nothing is set in stone yet.”

Chammings will present his budget proposal to selectmen at Thursday’s meeting, and the Budget Committee will hold its first meeting in the Town Office at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 27. The Budget Committee will submit a proposal for the annual town meeting in June.

treaves@sunjournal.com

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