ROXBURY – If all money items in Roxbury’s 2007 town meeting warrant are approved on Monday, March 5, the town of less than 400 can expect its tax rate to jump three to four mills, according to selectmen.

This does not include Oxford County and SAD 43 assessments, which are done in June.

A mill currently raises $26,000. Roxbury’s 2006 tax rate is $16.50 per $1,000 of valuation, according to Town Clerk Tina Howard.

Last year, excluding Oxford County and SAD 43 assessments, voters OK’d raising $198,548 through taxation. This year’s proposed amount is $283,518, an $84,970 increase.

“Almost everything’s gone up this year,” Selectman Alan Hodgkins said Tuesday by phone from home. “Our taxes are going up astronomically. They’re going to be wicked high.”

Driving much of the hike is $60,000 needed to complete work at the new combination municipal building and fire station beside Route 17, Board of Selectmen Chairman Mark Touchette said Tuesday.

“It’s a lot of money for us, but, it’s a big project,” he said. “We’re trying to raise the money to finish the job. If we don’t raise it, there it sits.”

So far, $100,000 has been used to convert the former Precision Metals building into a town office/fire station, but, this will be the first time that selectmen have tried to raise the money through taxation.

Remaining work involves putting up Sheetrock and trim, installing plumbing and heating systems, landscaping and finishing the parking lot.

Selectmen have scheduled an open house at the building from 4 to 5 p.m. on town-meeting day, to field questions and reveal what has and hasn’t been done.

The board also recommends that voters raise $8,000 for general maintenance of the new complex and another $2,000 for its repair account. The latter, Hodgkins and Touchette said, is for a new well, among other things.

“It has a hand-dug well, and it’s junk,” Hodgkins said.

Fire protection is also driving the proposed tax increase. Chief Jim Theriault presented a $15,350 budget, which is up $9,350 over last year’s $6,000. This year, $5,000 is needed for call and training pay; $2,700 for two sets of turnout gear; $2,000 for communications equipment and maintenance; $1,500 for fuel; $1,100 for a generator; and $1,000 for truck maintenance, to name a few.

Both Touchette and Hodgkins said they expect considerable debate on both the firetruck budget and the new town building articles.

Pending voter approval, Roxbury will also make its last payment of $26,172 on a 10-year road bond. However, Hodgkins said, voters can expect a future special town meeting request of $10,000 to make repairs on the town’s 13 miles of roads.

Regarding municipal elections, which are done by written ballot at town meeting, incumbent Selectman Doubten Thomas has decided after all to seek re-election. Running against him is newcomer Debbie DeRoche. Running against incumbent Town Clerk Howard is newcomer Renee Hodgdon.

Additionally, no one took out papers for a SAD 43 School Board seat for the second year in a row. Touchette resigned from the position in December 2005 to fill a Board of Selectmen vacancy, then won re-election last year.

Pullout box:

What: Roxbury annual town meeting

When: 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 5 (open house at new unfinished municipal building/fire station complex on Route 17, between 4 and 5 p.m., followed by 5:30 to 6:30 social hour with refreshments at Mountain Valley Middle School in Mexico)

Where: Mountain Valley Middle School, Mexico