Falmouth residents will see their property tax rate rise by $1.64 over the next five years as the result of the new full-time fire department and the planned expansion of the Main Street station.
The tax rate increase for 2021-2022 from the fire department alone, excluding any increases resulting from school, municipal or county budgets, will be 33 cents, adding $165 to the tax bill of an owner of a $500,000 home. At the end of five years, that same homeowner will be taxed $18.69 per $1,000 of assessed value for the fire department, up from the town tax rate of $17.05 now, or about $820 total.
“I think this is going to get tiring for residents, three years out seeing every year with an increase of 15 to 40 cents, but the answer to that concern or question will always be that we are transitioning to a full-time department,” Town Manager Nathan Poore said.