By MARJORIE NEEDHAM
Middlebury’s 2015 grand list shows an almost one percent increase of $8.2 million compared to an increase of a solid 1 percent, or $9.4 million, in 2014. The 2015 grand list total is $945.8 million; the 2014 grand list total was $937.6 million.
Middlebury Assessor Chris Kelsey said of the total, “The increase can be attributed to Toll Brothers’ construction in Ridgewood even though we continue to lose housing stock in the Triangle Boulevard area.” Kelsey said the increase was pretty much what he expected it would be.
The grand list comprises real estate, motor vehicles and personal property. Real estate, which had increased $3.1 million, or 0.4 percent in 2014, increased nearly $7 million, or nearly 1 percent in 2015.
Personal property assessments of $50.5 million reflect an increase of $1.2 million, or 2.5 percent, compared to last year’s $49.3 million. Kelsey said this is relatively stable for personal property. He said several years ago people started postponing spending due to the economy, and while spending has begun to increase, it is increasing slowly.
Motor vehicle assessments dropped to $64.3 million from $64.7 million, a drop of $394,080, or 0.6 percent. Kelsey said it’s unclear whether the number sent to the town by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is accurate considering the issues that arose after the DMV changed its software in 2015.
The ranking among the top 10 combined (real estate and personal property) taxpayers is shown in the table below.
| Combined Top 10 Taxpayers 2015 | Combined Top 10 Taxpayers 2014 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, | Preston Park 2004 LLC | $16,227,800 | 1. | Preston Park 2004 LLC | $16,227,800 | |
| 2. | Conn. Light & Power Inc | $11,779,104 | 2. | Timex Group USA Inc. | $11,681,208 | |
| 3. | Timex Group USA Inc. | $11,717,546 | 3. | Conn. Light & Power Co. LLC | $10,839,172 | |
| 4. | Middlebury Edge LLC | $ 7,976,947 | 4. | Middlebury Edge LLC | $ 7,984,456 | |
| 5. | Crossroads Middlebury LLC | $ 6,524,000 | 5. | Toll CT II LP | $ 7,053,700 | |
| 6. | Toll CT II LP | $ 6,504,700 | 6. | Anzaroot Acquisitions LLC | $ 6,524,000 | |
| 7. | Midex LLC | $ 4,536,000 | 7. | Midex LLC | $ 4,536,000 | |
| 8. | Middlebury Land Development LLC | $ 4,368,900 | 8. | Middlebury Land Development LLC | $ 4,496,600 | |
| 9. | Lake Quassapaug Inc. | $ 2,850,022 | 9. | Chemtura USA Corp. | $ 3,572,479 | |
| 10. | Chemtura USA Corp. | $ 2,847,022 | 10. | Lake Quassapaug Inc. | $ 2,751,222 |
Crossroads Middlebury LLC, in the no. 5 slot, is new on the list, while Anzaroot Acquisitions LLC, in the no. 6 slot last year, is gone. Kelsey said that is because the property owned by Anzaroot was acquired by Crossroads Middlebury LLC.
Preston Park 2004 LLC remained in first place while Connecticut Light and Power and Timex swapped spots, with CL&P moving up to the no. 2 slot and Timex dropping to no. 3. Toll CT II, developers of the Ridgewood subdivision, dropped to no. 6 in 2015 from no. 5 in 2014. Kelsey said this is because units that had been in Toll’s tax base have gone out of its tax base as they were sold.
Retaining their 2014 spots in the top 10 were Middlebury Edge, Midex LL, and Middlebury Land Development LLC, with Nos. 4, 7 and 8, respectively. Lake Quassapaug Inc. and Chemtura USA swapped spots, with Chemtura dropping to No. 10 and Lake Quassapaug moving up to No. 9.
