The 2009 grand list released by the Tax Assessor’s Office Monday shows an increase of 4.5 percent from 2008.
The report shows an overall increase of $63,372,062 in real estate, motor vehicle and personal property assessments.
Personal Property assessments had the highest increase at $49,602,060 or growth of 117 percent from 2008.
In addition, real estate assessments increased by $11,940,400 — just under 1 percent in a year. Motor vehicle assessments increased by 1.9 percent, to $1,829,602.
Town officials credited the majority of the increase in personal property to the addition of the Spectra Energy compression station at Woodruff Industrial Park.
Spectra Energy moved to town in 2007 and owns the 1,100 mile Algonquin Pipeline.
Herman Schuler, director of Economic Development said this year Spectra Energy’s equipment — two turbines, three compressors, pipe-work and infrastructure for the pipeline — declared at $45,188,990, are now on the town’s tax rolls.
Schuler said personal property declarations from all other businesses shows a 2 percent increase over last year’s list.
“Even without Spectra Energy, personal property still went up $5 million and that is good considering the economy,” he said.
The Council of Governments of the Central Naugatuck Valley 2009 Regional Profile shows that since 2000, Oxford’s population has grown by 49 percent. Jobs have increased by 29.7 percent. Unemployment in December was 6.7 percent, which is below the state average of 8.9 percent.
First Selectwoman Mary Ann Drayton-Rogers said she is pleased with the increase in the grand list.
“This shows we are a growing community and our hard work has paid off for the town,” she said.
Tax Assessor Eva Lintzner echoed Drayton-Rogers’ satisfaction with the list.
“The town is very fortunate to have an increase,” she said. “In this tight economy, we are still experiencing growth.”
Drayton-Rogers said the grand list will be used to establish the town’s mill rate for the 2010 – 2011 budget, which is being prepared.
“It is really going to depend on the budget numbers,” she said. “This is a work in progress.”
