PARIS – Waterford’s decision to tax some recreational vehicles as personal property finally will come under scrutiny by the Oxford County commissioners after several tax abatement requests were filed since November.
At least 12 RV owners who keep their campers at the Keoka Beach Camping Area have protested the town’s method of taxation, saying the vehicles are being assessed at a rate greater than their value.
The commissioners have heard three of the abatement requests and held a workshop Tuesday to discuss scheduling the remainder.
“Nothing’s easy about this,” noted Commissioner David Duguay as they talked with Waterford Selectman Whizzer Wheeler.
State law does allow towns to tax RVs as personal property under certain circumstances, but also declares that properties must be taxed at fair market value.
Chairman Steve Merrill said the commission has to consider whether there were any glaring errors made in the assessment process, whether the town based its assessments on the fair value of each RV, and whether the RVs were taxed at equal rates.
The board agreed the RVs were taxed at equal rates, but had questions about whether the value of each camper was properly established.
Wheeler said the town considers the location of RVs: Campers that are kept closer to Keoka Lake are taxed at a higher rate, for example.
Duguay wondered whether the town should simply tax RVs according to their resale value, without consideration of the location. He asked whether charging for location would result in double taxation, as the campground owner already pays taxes on the land.
Commissioner Jim Carey supported Waterford’s efforts. “If you want to investigate it further, be my guest,” he told his fellow commissioners. “But right now I’m in a mind to go with the assessors of the town.”
Merrill said the commission would hear all abatement requests before making a decision. He said a person filing an abatement bears the burden of proving the town erred.
It was decided that the commissioners would research questions about Waterford’s new taxation methods further and try to hold three abatement hearings during their next regular meeting, June 21.
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