Lisbon selectmen deny two tax abatement requests after assessor review

The Lisbon Board of Selectmen voted unanimously on March 16 to deny two property tax abatement requests after the town assessor recommended denial.

One abatement sought relief for 50 Highland Avenue (Map U02 L073), a conventional-style home on a 0.56-acre parcel. The taxpayer argued the property’s assessed value was disproportionate compared with nearby, sometimes larger, homes and cited a significant increase in the tax bill. The assessor concluded the taxpayer did not provide substantial evidence showing the assessed value was out of line with market value and recommended denial. Selectman Scott Champagne moved to follow the assessor’s recommendation; Arthur Boutin seconded and all were in favor.

A second abatement request covered 65 Riverside Avenue (Map U03 L018), a conventional home on a 0.23-acre lot. The owner asserted that state and local education taxes were unconstitutional. The assessor told the board that constitutionality questions fall to the Board of Tax and Land Appeals or the Superior Court and are beyond the assessor’s jurisdiction; the assessor therefore recommended denial. The selectmen voted to deny that request as well.

Neither denial included a roll-call vote in the minutes; the recorded outcome for each motion was unanimous approval by the board members present. The minutes do not record any immediate plans by petitioners to seek review by the Board of Tax and Land Appeals or a court.