Newtown Seniors Raise Revaluation Concerns at Forum

"I thought I lived in the ghetto until I got my tax bill," said Gary Fillion, who lives in Sandy Hook's Riverside district. "We went from $5,000 in taxes to over $7,000. And my revaluation didn't change."

Fillion was one of about 100 seniors who took up the town's most recent revaluation with local officials — members of the Board of Finance, town assessor Chris Kelsey, financial director Robert Tait and First Selectman Pat Llodra — at a packed Tuesday public forum at Newtown High School.

Fillion's complaints weren't unique. (Kelsey told him his taxes went up due to a newly-levied waterfront premium, which Fillion called a "pay-per-view tax.")

More than a dozen seniors — many residents of Newtown's age-restricted communities, including Regency and Liberty — took up their concerns with the town. Some said their taxes were so high they might be forced to leave town.

Properties are revalued every five years, per state statute. In 2012, the town changed contractors to Vision Appraisal; they'd used Total Evaluation in 2007. While many Newtown homes saw decreases in their taxes, Tait said four groups did see an increase: larger homes, commercial properties, lakefront properties and — most controversially to the residents in attendance — age-restricted communities like Regency and Liberty.

"It's every first selectman's dream that every five years everyone's value increases or decreases the same percent," said Tait. "That way there's no controversy. Never happens. There's always a tax shuck... and it happens in every town in Connecticut."

Some seniors saw higher increases than others. Attendees gasped when resident Jim Spinner said his bill had increased from $19,000 to $34,000 in one year.

"I think the system is broken," Spinner said. "I turn 60 this year and my wife and I are planning to move out of town. My friends are all leaving. My children can't believe I'm even talking about selling my home in Newtown. I really felt this is a place where I could die. But I really can't."

Tax relief is one option — the town spends $1.5 million yearly on senior tax relief for 718 households. Eligible taxpayers can receive up to $2,500 off their taxes, depending on income.

But some seniors said tax relief should go further — that seniors shouldn't carry as much of the burden for services they don't use as much, such as the education side of the budget. (Newtown pays more than $14,000 per child in education.)

"I'm the first one to stand up and say I have to pay my fair share," said Liberty resident Don Leonard. "But when I as a senior are paying an increase and others are paying nothing at all, and we use far less services, something is wrong."

Tait called the tax burden "the fair distribution of taxes over time." Seniors suggested the tax rate couldn't have increased from 25% to 33% without high additional costs. Some said the most recent budget increase, which came primarily from schools, was to blame.

"Our only recourse at this point is the ballot box for the school budget, town budget and town officials," said Liberty resident Ken Gillette. "I think you're going to find we're going to use the ballot box."

"All taxpayers are struggling," Llodra said. "I'm very much one of you and have those same concerns. I've been in Newtown 42 years and would like to remain here all my days. We're trying to do something at the very time the economy is working against us. It's not that we don't know ... It's just going to take a little time to get there."