Background
The Committee on Taxation will hold a Public Hearing on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 9:30 AM at
📍 State House, Room 127, Augusta, to discuss LD 658 "An Act to Lower Property Taxes by Increasing the Homestead Property Tax Exemption."
If you want to read LD 658, click here: https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?PID=1456&snum=132&paper=&paperld=l&ld=658
If you pick through the left side menu, you can find all kinds of good info!
In lieu of personally testifying in support of this bill, you may testify via Zoom, or by online testimony using the following link: https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/. Do this prior to the public hearing.
See below for EVERYTHING you're going to need to get this done, including testimony!
🔹 Steps to submit testimony online:
1️⃣ Click: "Public Hearing".
2️⃣ Choose a committee: "Taxation" - using the drop-down menu.
3️⃣ Choose date: March 19, 2025, 9:30 AM - using the drop-down menu.
4️⃣ Click: LD 658
5️⃣ Enter your testimony in the box (or click the checkbox if you want to testify via Zoom).
6️⃣ Complete your contact information.
7️⃣ Click: "I'm not a robot"
8️⃣ Click: "Submit/Register".
Action Time-Window
⚠️ Please consider taking action by March 17, 2025.
Template
The below is a community member's testimony. Feel free to use it, something of your own, or something as simple as "I support LD 658 and any other property tax relief, and it "ought to pass." To get other wording ideas, as online testimony is submitted for this bill, you can see it here: https://legislature.maine.gov/ctl/TAX/03-19-2025?panel=4&time=0&sortdir=0&sortby=2 after clicking on the bill number.
I support LD 658 “An Act to Lower Property Taxes by Increasing the Homestead Property Tax Exemption.”
This bill increases the property tax exemption for a homestead from $25,000 to $50,000 of the just value of the homestead for property tax years beginning on or after April 1, 2025.
We are still trying to recover from record high inflation, the cost of literally all goods and services is still through the roof, housing is unaffordable, per WalletHub Maine has the highest property tax per percentage of income in the United States and we have the fourth highest overall total tax burden in the nation right now. Is the Legislature and Governor trying to drive us to the number one highest taxed state? When does this continuing to tax us to the breaking point end?
We need property tax relief! I agree with any method possible to make this happen!
I support LD 658 and any other property tax relief, and it “ought to pass.”
Credit for the above goes to our community member Danny (@DannyEmerson61) from the South Berwick Republican Committee (@BerwickSouth).
Disclaimer
A community member has shared this personal template for those who wish to express their views on LD 658. This template is not an official PTP position, and using it is entirely up to you. Pine Tree Patriots encourages civic participation but does not endorse or support specific actions or policies. Please remember this is an individual initiative.
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