FARMINGTON — Even though the tax rate for 2016 rose 48 cents over last year’s rate, many homeowners will see a decrease in their tax bills because of the Homestead Exemption, Town Manager Selectmen Richard Davis said.

Selectmen set the tax rate at $19.28 per $1,000 of property valuation on Monday.

The Homestead Exemption is $15,000 this year. It was $10,000 last year.

That means that owners of a house valued at $100,000 that qualifies for the exemption will see a tax of $1,638.80 this year, $53.20 lower than last year, Davis said.

The increase is shifted to the non-homestead properties, including businesses and second homes, he said.

And, though the town’s share of Regional School Unit 9’s budget shows an increase on tax information provided Monday night, there was a decrease in the town’s assessment for July 1 to June 30, 2017.

The town’s figures reflect an overlap of two years of tax assessments because the town’s fiscal year runs from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 and the district’s is from July 1 to June 30, Davis said.

There was an increase of $158,152.50 in the assessment from Jan. 1, 2016, to June 30, 2016, followed by a decrease of $45,297.17 from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2016, Davis said. The net effect is an increase of $112,855.33, he said.

As promised, RSU 9 directors set a budget that factored in revenues that sent a decrease in tax assessments to eight of the 10 towns in the district for 2016-17. Only New Vineyard and Starks saw an increase, $339 and $17,563, respectively.

Farmington’s share was $4.62 million, $90,593 less than in 2015.

The remaining $45,297.17 will be reflected from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2017, when Farmington selectmen set the tax rate next year.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net