Maine Municipal Tax Collectors' & Treasurers' Association
Home	Training	Executive Board		Newsletters	Links	Forms
MMTCTA List Serve					Back to List Serve Index

Posted by Rose Roy, Waldoboro, August 14, 2007: Curious to know what other towns may be adopting for a policy as to whether or not to reimburse the excess excise on a transfer.

Responses:It has always been my understanding that excise tax is transferable, not refundable.  I have worked in 2 different municipalities and have never refunded the difference. (Dawna Myrick, Waldoboro)

Wells is not considering this. (Leo Ouellette, Wells)

There is a new law that was passed by the State legislature this past session.  This new law will go into effect in September 2007 that will allow municipalities to decide to refund excise tax if they want to.  MMA legal is going to write a sample ordinance or policy that can be adopted by any or all towns should you decide to refund excise tax.  Again the law makes it an option for towns to refund the excise, it will  not be mandatory.  But if you decide to refund excise, then your town meeting or town council (whichever applies) will need to vote on this policy or ordinance.  More on this from MMA legal. (Gilberte Mayo, Lincoln)

The Town of Berwick will continue transferring excise tax as we always have and will not refund excise tax.  I researched what we would have lost in the last fiscal year and provided information on what it would cost us to reimburse the tax, (in some cases 0.05).  In many cases it would have cost the Town more money to process checks, postage, labor etc. than the reimbursement would be.  The Board of Selectman voted not to refund excise tax and continue processing as we have in the past. (Judi Buckman, Berwick)

When we received notice of this, the Selectmen voted to continue the policy of not refunding any excise tax. We wanted to have it in the minutes of their meeting that such a vote had taken place. (Catherine Collins, Georgetown)