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Deeds registrar warns proposed LD 2124 would shrink county share of real-estate transfer fees
Summary
Deeds Registrar Lynn Moore told Sagadahoc County commissioners that LD 2124 would further reduce the percentage of real-estate transfer tax revenue county deeds offices retain, adding administrative burdens; commissioners said they would consider coordinating with MCCA and may send a letter opposing the change.
Deeds Registrar Lynn Moore told the Sagadahoc County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 13 that proposed state legislation, LD 2124, would reduce the share of real-estate transfer tax revenue retained by county deeds offices and impose new administrative work on local staff.
Moore said the county currently retains 9.2% of the transfer tax under LD 1287 but that LD 2124 would lower the retained percentage to roughly 8.2 percent; she also referenced 8.1 percent in parts of the discussion. Moore said registrars around the state are asking county officials to oppose the change or at least raise concerns with legislators because the retained funds cover work the counties already perform.
The issue matters to county finances because deeds offices use retained fees to operate and maintain recording systems and related services. Moore said a reduced share will both shrink local revenue and require staff time to implement state-mandated system changes. “They work very hard to keep up with it all while all the state does is collect it,” Moore said, arguing the change would shift costs and workload to local offices.
Commissioner Steve August said he was open to signing a letter supporting the county keeping its retained fees and suggested discussing the proposal at the Maine County Commissioners Association (MCCA) meeting. Commissioner Charles Crosby and Commissioner Todd McPhee agreed it was unlikely the board would back the bill as written and indicated a willingness to coordinate a response after MCCA reviews the matter.
Moore also provided commissioners with a written estimate of the revenue loss to the deeds office under both 9.2% and the lower percentage; she said that with the current decline in sales volume the office is particularly sensitive to reductions in retained fees. The bill’s sponsor and co-sponsors were read from Moore’s materials and include Representative Gattine of Westbrook, with several co-sponsors listed.
The board added LD 2124 as a discussion item for its next meeting and agreed to wait for MCCA feedback before taking formal action. There was no vote or formal resolution at the Jan. 13 meeting.
What happens next: Commissioners said they will revisit the matter after the MCCA meeting and may prepare a letter or formal comment to the Legislature. Moore said she would supply more detail to support that outreach.
