Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0938
House Amendment HA_A-SA_B_S584 (Senate)

SENATE AMENDMENT ",t" to HOUSE AMENDMENT "A" to H. P • 695, 
L.D. 938, "RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution 
of Maine To Change the Assessment of Lands Used for Long-term 
Ownership" 
Amend the amendment by striking out the substitute title and 
replacing it with the following: 
I RESOLUTIOR, 
Amending the Constitution of Maine To Change the 
Method of Calculating the Nay Property Is Valued To Preserve Home 
Ownership in Maine' 
Further amend the amendment by striking out everything after 
the substitute title and before the summary and inserting in its 
place the following: 
'Further amend the resolution on page 1 by striking out all 
of lines 5 to 40 and inserting in their place the following: 
'Constitution, Art. IX, §8, sub-§6 is enacted to read: 
6. 
AsseSsment and taxation of real prqperty beginning April 
1. 2005. 
Beginning with taxes based on the status of property on 
or after April 1, 2005, all taxes on real property subj ect to 
taxation in the State must be assessed based on the base property 
value of the property. 
For purposes Of this subsection, "base 
property value" meap§ the just value of the property on April 1, 
2004 or on the Al>ril 1st preceding the date on which the owner 
aCQuired the property, whichever is later, as adjusted under this 
subsection. 
Unless 
there is 
a 
change 
in ownership of the 
property, 
the base property value on each April 1st may be 
adjusted only: 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
SENATE AMENDMENT "B" to HOUSE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 695, L.D. 938 
A. 
By 
the actual increase in just value or 
the 
Same 
percentage as the percentage increase in the Consumer Price 
Index since the last valuation of the property. whichever is 
lower; and 
B. 
To 
reflect the 
just value 
of 
any 
improvements 
or 
degradations to the property since the previous assessment. 
If there is a change in ownership of the property. the base 
property value must be adjusted to the just value of the 
property on the April 1st preceding the change of own~rship 
or the purchase price. whichever is higher. and is subject 
to subsequent adjustment as provided in this subsection. 
The Legislature may enact legislation to provide for the 
~inistration of thi~ subsection.' 
Further amend the resolution on page 2 by striking out all 
of lines 4 to 9 and inserting in their place the following: 
"Do 
you 
favor 
amending the Constitution of Maine 
to 
require that property taxes on real property be based on the 
just value of the property on April 1, 2004 as adjusted for 
inflation, unless the property is transferred, in which case 
the property taxes would be based on the purchase price or 
the just value on the preceding April 1st, whichever is 
higher?" , , 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the property tax mechanism set out 
in House Amendment "A" with a method that bases property taxes on 
the just value of the property on April 1, 2004 as adjusted 
for 
inflation. 
If there is a change in ownership of the property, 
the base value would be adjusted to the purchase price or the 
just value of the property on the April 1st preceding the change 
in ownership, whichever is higher. 
SPONSORED C2 (\",~,l" L\'~ WJ<) 
(Senator NASS) 
COUNTY: 
York 
SENATE AMENDMENT