August 2010 Issue
Republican and Democratic primaries on Tuesday, August 10
Mark Your Calendars & Let Your Voice Be Heard

Ballot
Democrat
Governor Lieutenant
Governor		 Secretary of
the State		 Comptroller Judge of
Probate
Dan Malloy Nancy Wyman Denise Merrill Kevin Lembo Terrance D. Lomme
Ned Lamont Mary Messina Glassman Gerry Garcia Michael J. Jarjura Raymond J Rigat
Republican
Governor Lieutenant
Governor		 United States
Senator		 Representative
in Congress		 Attorney
General
Tom Foley Mark D. Boughton Linda E. McMahon Daria Novak Martha Dean
Michael Fedele Lisa Wilson-Foley Peter David Schiff Doug Dubitsky Ross Garber
Oz Griebel Rob Simmons Janet Peckinpaugh

More information in the 'Voter's Corner'

Revaluation by Alan Aronow

Summer is traditionally a time of sun and fun—but for members of the Haddam Assessor’s office it’s been an all out race to gather the field data needed to complete the town’s state mandated revaluation due on October 1, 2010.
Most property owners are familiar with the term ‘revaluation’ (aka: reassessment or reval). In Connecticut, municipalities raise the bulk of their budget revenues by levying property taxes. The state requires that every five years, towns and cities reassess all local real estate to establish its current fair market value. According to Town Assessor Marilyn Baumann the process of reassessing the value of all properties by the same standard at the same point in time is done to assure property owners that they are paying only their fair share of local taxes.
Revaluations are necessary because, over time, not all homes or neighborhoods experience similar changes in desirability. These changes are reflected in the price people are willing to pay for a specific property. As such, inequities develop where homes become worth more or less than other homes as a result of prevailing market trends. The revaluation process attempts to correct these inequities so that the appraised value of each property in town accurately reflects its actual market value as of a fixed date. (Note: In Connecticut a property’s assessed value equals 70% of its appraised or market value) (Full Article)