Maine Municipal Tax Collectors' & Treasurers' Association
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Posted by Muriel of Columbia Falls, June 22, 2006:

I have been tax collector here in Columbia Falls for 8 years.  I have had no problems until this year.  I have always done the Tax bills, Commitment Book, Assessor's Workbook and any other report needed at Committment time.  For some reason this year they want to do everything themselves.  I know it will be less work for me.  They also will not let anyone in their office to get information on land owners.  I have calls all the time for information on tax payers from appraisers, banks, mortgage companies, etc. They want a copy of the property cards either copied (if they are in my office) or a copy faxed.  I cannot give them this because the assessors won't let me.  I just don't know what to do.  It makes this job hard when you tell someone you can't help them.  They will say this information is PUBLIC, but not according to my assessor's Can anyone tell me what I need to do to resolve this issue. Thanks, Muriel

Responses:I sympathize with you.  I presume that you have a Board of Assessors elected separately from the Board of Selectmen.  There's a real easy way to change this.  Give the person calling the home, work and cell phone of the chairman of the Board of Assessors and tell the caller requesting information that they'll have to get the information from the Assessors.  It's not very good customer service, but it will give the assessors an idea of what you're going through.  If you are an appointed clerk, bring this up to the Selectmen first.  If you are elected, you are on equal footing with elected assessors, so anything goes. Good luck. (This, by the way, came only to me, didn't go to the list serve!) (Stu Marckoon, Lamoine)

Once a years' taxes are committed, the whole thing becomes your domain until such time as you complete any required liens for that years' taxes; then it becomes the Treasurer's problem. All tax cards, meanwhile, belong to the inhabitants of the town and come under the Freedom of Information Act. I'll make the assumption that your assessors and your selectboard are one and the same; it appears someone needs to get a Municipal Officer's manual and read about duties of the office(s). They may also wish to take a moment to review the Act. (Tom Goullette, Guilford)

I am the Tax Collector for the Town of Phippsburg and this last email about the Freedom of Information Act is correct.  PUBLIC INFO and they can not keep it behind closed doors.  (Lisa Wallace, Phippsburg)