School bond tax increase is gradual, not all at once

Written By Cape Elizabeth

Please note: This letter reflects opinions regarding the November 2024 “Middle Ground” school referendum. It does not represent the current 2025 Cape Elizabeth school proposal which is an updated and revised version.

BY HEATHER N. REEVES

In all of the discussion of what will happen with tax increases if the latest school bond referendum passes in November, I have been a bit confused on exactly how the 12.2% tax increase will land. Will my taxes go up 12.2% all at once?! I was quite relieved to find out that the tax increase will gradually increase over the course of 3 years - a 2% increase in year 1, a 6.1% increase in year 2, and a 4.1% increase in year 3. And that’s it! After year 3 there will be no tax increase related to the new school bond. This kind of thoughtful planning allows time to save and set aside funds, blunting the point of the sword quite a bit for all Cape taxpayers.

Cape Elizabeth has been talking about replacing the middle school and elementary school since at least 1994 (when replacing BOTH schools would have cost $16-18 million). This is not a new problem. Now we have an opportunity to solve for the long-term, with a new middle school that will last for 50+ years. We’ve put band aids on the schools for at least 30 years now with renovations. It’s time to reset the clock, make a smart long-term investment in our town, and pass this school bond in November.

Nobody WANTS higher taxes, but done in a thoughtful way, I think these gradual increases over a 3-year span is something the majority of us can handle.

 

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