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Resident tells Hope Select Board his property 'tripled' in value; assessors explain process as mil rate is set
Summary
A Hope resident said his lot's assessment "tripled" from last year and questioned a jump in the state compliance percentage; Assessor's Agent Ellery Bane and staff provided clarifications while the Assessors later set the FY26 mil rate at 11.43.
Rick Catalano told the Select Board during public comment that his lot "tripled from last year" in assessed value and urged the town to ensure assessments were applied fairly and consistently across Hope. He said he would ask realtor colleagues to review the town's assessments and asked why the Assessors increased the state compliance percentage from 50% to 95%.
Another member of the public, Blaine Richardson, who said he had helped start the Tea Party, accused the Select Board of "not doing their jobs" by remaining in Hope rather than going to Augusta to protest; he raised his voice and was asked to calm down. Town staff and the Assessor's Agent, Ellery Bane, responded with clarifying comments about the assessment process.
Later in the meeting the board suspended to convene as the Board of Assessors and set the FY26 mil rate at 11.43. Ellery Bane distributed the commitment documents for the assessors to sign.
The meeting record does not show a formal appeal or further procedural action on any particular property value during this session; catalyzed concerns during public comment were met with explanation but no decision altering the assessments was recorded.
