HOULTON, Maine — Town councilors on Nov. 9 opted to wait for more information after receiving a request by the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians to waive the tribe’s 2016 payment in lieu of taxes.
The Council directed Town Manager Butch Asselin to gather more information on the law and answer other questions before bringing the request back to councilors at their next meeting.
During the meeting on Nov. 9, Brenda Commander, chief of the Maliseets, gave a presentation on the request.
Under the Payment in Lieu of Taxes, or PILOT, program, the Maliseets have made payments in the past to offset the community’s losses in tax revenues from tax-exempt tribal lands.
But the town also has had an agreement with the tribe allowing it to request a waiver of some or all of its annual payment to the town, provided the Maliseets have done improvements that somehow benefit the town. Such acceptable projects in the past have included rebuilding Lowery Road and creating and sharing Maliseet Field with the community. The Houlton football team uses Maliseet Field for its home games.
The town granted a waiver of $38,380 in 2011, but in 2013, a request for a waiver of $22,980 was denied. For the years 2012 to 2015, the Maliseets owe the town $190,228 for payments in lieu of taxes, Asselin.
No action was taken on the Maliseets’ request.
In other business, Asselin discussed the fiscal year 2016 budget.
He said that the budget will be “very tight,” and that the town saw significant increases in medical insurance for its employees. The manager also said the town lost $140,000 in tax revenue due to the state’s homestead exemption, which provides some property tax relief to certain individuals.
The town was able to save a small amount of money, he said, by combining the animal control and code enforcement officers into one position.
The next council meeting is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 23.
