From the Selectman's Office: Revaluation Concerns

By Bill Morrison, First Selectman, Stafford

Thank you to everyone who came to the informational meeting last night on the new Revaluation Assessments. We feel and understand your frustration about not knowing how these new assessment increases will affect your July 2026 taxes. It will still be some time before we can calculate your 2025/2026 taxes. Additional components make up this calculation. 

State regulations require each Connecticut municipality to conduct a revaluation every five (5) years.   Stafford's last completed revaluation was for October 1, 2020, Grand List. Again, this is required by law, and the town cannot opt out of this or change the process. State Statutes can only be changed by the state legislators during a legislative session(s). 

What’s the difference between a full revaluation and a statistical revaluation?

Full Revaluations (every 10 years) involve the interior and exterior inspection and re-measurement of all properties, which necessitates entry into each residence or building.

Statistical Revaluations (every 5 years), existing data is used to revalue properties, avoiding onsite property inspections except to confirm the validity of data for a sample of properties. 

With respect to each of these processes, the resulting valuations from a Full Revaluation are much more accurate than a Statistical Revaluation.

The purpose of a revaluation is to maintain equity and ensure that each taxpayer pays only their fair share of the property tax burden. Since the real estate market is continually changing and not every property is impacted equally, this is achieved by establishing the "fair market value" of each property as of the October 1, 2025, assessment date. Fair market value determinations are affected by a number of factors, including but not limited to: property type (residential, commercial, industrial), location, the desirability of individual property characteristics, and market supply and demand. Assessments in the State of Connecticut reflect 70% of properties’ fair market value.

As presented, the Grand List (taxable and tax-exempt property composed of all Real Estate, Motor Vehicle and Personal Property) will not be complete until the end of January, which will give us a better picture of what the total grand list is. However, The Board of Assessment Appeals will meet after this to hear appeals, and some changes could be made to those preliminary Grand List figures. 

The budget process is in the beginning stages for the Board of Education, Board of Selectmen, Library, Water Pollution Control Authority, and the Service District. All meetings are open to the public, and residents should try to attend these meetings and listen to what is being included in the various budgets before the Annual Budget Public Hearing with the Board of Finance. 

ALL MEETINGS SCHEDULES AND AGENDAS ARE POSTED ON THE TOWN HALL WEBSITE @ www.staffordct.org. 

Anticipated Revenues also play a large part in determining the budget and what the Mill Rate will be. Some are local revenues such as permit fees, property rentals, recording fees etc..; some are revenues we receive from the State of Connecticut that we do not receive until the legislative session is finished and a state budget is approved in the spring. Last year’s anticipated revenue for the Town of Stafford was $12,985,525 (these revenues offset the amount the town has to charge for taxes).

The Public Hearing and all  “informational meetings” are the chance for everyone to be heard by the Board of Finance regarding the proposed budgets, so they can make an informed decision before approving to send a budget forward to the taxpayers for approval.  

So, with all that being said, be patient; we will get there. This is a process, I invite and encourage you to come out and be part of the process. 

Value Notices & Informal Meetings - November To December 2025. Once the final analysis has been completed, a notice with the new assessed value will be mailed to each property owner in the Fall of 2025. At this time, anyone with questions about the revaluation results will have an opportunity to meet with a member of Vision's staff to discuss the new valuation of their property. 

If Necessary, Schedule A Board of Assessment Appeal Hearing By February 20, 2026. If property owners are not satisfied with the results of their informal meeting with Vision or if they did not schedule an informal meeting, they will be able to appeal to the Town of Stafford Board of Assessment Appeals by filing an appeal application before the February 20, 2026, deadline.

As always, I am happy to meet with anyone to discuss questions, concerns, or the direction you would like to see the town move in. 

You can make an appointment to see me by calling Beth in my office at 860-684-1778. She will be happy to set up a meeting for you to meet at Town Hall, or I can meet you at a place that is more convenient for you.