Mainers statewide have been experiencing sticker shock when reviewing their property tax bills for the upcoming fiscal year, and Republican lawmakers are laying blame for rising taxes squarely at the feet of Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Janet Mills (D).

Legislative Republicans held a press conference in Gorham Wednesday addressing this issue and providing a platform for one resident to share her own experiences with the effects of rising property taxes.

From higher rates and higher valuations to decreased exemptions and stretched household budgets, Maine residents — especially those with fixed-incomes or lower incomes — are feeling the pressure.

Considering Maine already has the fourth highest tax burden in the country — and the highest property tax burden of any state — the impact of property tax hikes are being felt more painfully than ever.

Wednesday’s press conference was held outside the home of Laura Lossie, a Gorham resident who has personally been impacted by the rising property tax burden imposed upon homeowners by the town.

Also speaking at the conference were several Republican legislative leaders — including Rep. Amy Arata (R-New Gloucester), Sen. Trey Stewart (R-Aroostook), Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham (R-Winter Harbor) — Alan Livingston, candidate for Maine House Distict 109, and Scarborough Town Councilor Don Hamill.

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Sen. Stewart highlighted in his remarks how many Maine families are forced to ask themselves “tough questions” about how they will afford to cover basic necessities, yet government spending continues to rise.

“The reality is we’re spending more and more in state government and at the local level for an education system that’s not moving in the right direction,” Stewart said. “We’re sliding backward, all the while spending more and more and more.”

“In the last couple of years, the State Legislature has really taken the breaks completely off of this race car that is increasing taxes by doing things like repealing the cap on property tax increases and by repealing that senior property tax freeze,” he continued.

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Concerns over spending were also raised by Councilor Hamill, suggesting that the government ought to be approaching their budgeting process in the same manner that households do, taking into account how much is being spent, what it is being spent on, and “how much are those things worth.”

“In Scarborough, we’ve tried to take an approach of addressing this as a spending issue,” he said. “It’s a very simple equation. It’s the equation that people follow when they’re doing their own economics for their home.”

Rep. Faulkingham noted in his remarks that Mainers bear the highest property tax burden in the country, as well as the fourth highest tax burden overall.

“Property taxes are going up all over the state. That’s why we’re here today,” Faulkingham said. “We’re hearing this from everybody.”

“It’s the same story playing out in every town,” he continued. “According to Zillow and the tax assessor, your house might be worth fifty percent more, but are you earning fifty percent more?”

Livingston, a candidate for the Maine House of Representatives, urged leaders to “make tough decisions” and look “diligently” for ways to “alleviate the burden of taxes” on residents, both in Gorham and throughout the state.

Rep. Arata focused her remarks on the Legislature’s move earlier this year to repeal a 2005 cap on municipal property tax increases, as was previously referenced by Stewart.

“At a time when many Mainers can barely afford the cost of living, Augusta legislative Democrats repealed a reasonable, necessary, and compassionate limit on property tax growth,” Arata said.

“This property tax growth limit was based on average income growth,” she continued. “Common sense says that taxes shouldn’t rise faster than incomes do.”

“We want to have reasonable property taxes and empower voters,” Arata concluded. “We are committed to reasonable, compassionate, and fair property tax growth limits.”

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Lossie, a Gorham homeowner, told the Maine Wire that she has lived in the town for fifteen years and saw her property taxes begin to increase substantially three years ago when a revaluation was conducted by the town.

The following year, she saw her taxes go up an additional $1,000, and Lossie is now prepared to face yet another increase in the coming fiscal year.

“I definitely have to be a whole lot stricter in the budget, make choices of have-tos instead of want-tos,” Lossie said. “The want-tos aren’t even an option anymore.”

Lossie also said that she doesn’t think those who are responsible for developing the town’s budget “have an understanding at all” of how rising property taxes impact the daily lives of residents.

“The budget is out of bounds. It’s more than what it should be. We’re not getting more for our money. They’re cutting programs at the schools,” she said. “But yet, it costs more money.”

“I’m definitely not getting my money’s worth on these taxes,” Lossie added.