We folks with property in Tuftonboro have had our own run-in with Avitar. Several residents of Cow Island were shocked at the increased asessments to their properties, myself included. My "beach" was taxed like $130,000. I quoted the term "beach" due to the fact that my "beach" is a 10 foot wide set of cement steps into the water. A large percentage of us met with the town on individual appointments to file for abatement. We all wait anxiously to hear our results. As far as I can tell the Avitar system is SERIOUSLY flawed.
According to Avitar, my property was asessed as roughly the third highest land value on the entire island. My lot is 27,000sf with 150 feet of waterfront. In contrast every single 5 acre parcel with 500 feet of frontage on the other side of the island was asessed $100,000 LESS than mine
The "other" side of Cow Island I speak of is the Idlewild side where most residents have the 5 acres 500 feet parcels. Several lots have Broad views sunsets etc. In contrast my lot faces Tuftonboro Neck with a view of the channel by the Barbers Pole.
Don't even get me started on the fact that we Islanders don't get a tax break for our seasonal status. Or the fact that none of us even use one stitch of Tuftonboro services.
I know this is a sore subject beaten to death. I already know that there is a group of people out there who believe that we get what we deserve. "If we can afford the waterfront house than tough luck we can afford the taxes, etc." This is so often not the case. Most of the Islanders I know are hard working people who scraped together pennies to buy land, camped out on it, saved up, put up a shed, saved some more, Built a modest cottage, then BAM! The asessors come and spike the asessment and next thing you know these people are forced to consider selling due to the fact that they can't afford the taxes.
I will be curious to see how this whole thing works out. Sorry I had to vent.