The views stated here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors of this newspaper. We welcome supporting or opposing views on any published item. Received February 10, 2026.
Many of us in Haddam have recently received notices showing significant increases in our property’s assessed value following the state-mandated revaluation. Everyone in the town government understands that these increases can be alarming, and we want residents of Haddam to know that higher assessments do not automatically translate into equally large increases in property taxes.
Importantly, revaluation itself does not generate additional revenues for Haddam. The amount of taxes the town collects depends only on the town budget. Property taxes in Haddam are determined by two things: the town’s actual budget and the total assessed value of all taxable property. Each year, the town calculates a mill rate that raises enough revenue to fund the adopted budget. The mill rate is simply the amount of money needed to run the town divided by the total value of all taxable property.
When assessed property values go up, but the town budget remains the same, the mill rate decreases so that the town collects the same amount of revenue to support municipal services. Higher property values are offset by a lower tax rate.
For example, if property values town-wide doubled but the town budget remained unchanged, the mill rate would be cut in half, and taxpayers would pay the same amount in property taxes as before.
If the town budget stays the same, what matters for your tax bill is whether your assessed property value increased by more or less than the average increase in Haddam; if the value of your property increased by more than others’ did, then you’ll see an increase; if it increased by less, you may see a decrease.
The town doesn’t control when properties are reassessed. The state determines that. Changes in your property value depend not just on improvements you might have made to your house, but also on overall market conditions. Because home values across Connecticut have risen substantially since the last assessment, most properties are seeing increases even without any renovations or improvements.
The town government wants to encourage you to review your assessments and reach out to town officials with any questions to better understand how revaluation and the mill rate work together to determine your property taxes.
Collin Raymond, Member, Haddam Board of Finance
