East Granby Grand List Shows Small Increase Over Last year

The East Granby Grand List for Oct. 1, 2010 rose just .4 percent from the previous year, and town officials say the modest growth is a reflection of the economy. 

“It’s an increase over the previous year in a difficult economy,” said First Selectman Jim Hayden. “Would we want it to be higher? Yes.” 

Tax Assessor Mary Ellen Brown said she too had hoped for a higher increase.

“You don’t want anything to be a minus,” Brown said. “I had hoped for a little more but we are happy that it’s at least on the plus side.”

The town’s total net assessment jumped from $559,650,147 to $561,917,921 this year, for an increase of just under $2.3 million. 

The Grand List represents the assessed value of all the taxable property in town and is broken down into real estate, personal property and motor vehicle. Each of the three categories saw an increase this year, however,  many local businesses took advantage of both the commercial truck and manufacturer’s exemptions, Brown said. 

“East Granby is a community that really relies on our airport industry and our overall industrial area,” Brown said.  

Brown said the manufacturer’s exemption includes machinery used directly in the manufacturing process, and is a five-year exemption. The commercial truck exemption, also for five years, results in accelerated depreciation of the vehicle, Brown said.  

Hayden said the town will get reimbursed from the state for the manufacturer’s exemption. 

Exemptions in the personal property category totaled $34,413,364, for a net assessment of $34,118,277. For motor vehicles, exemptions totaled $1,453,885 for a total net assessment of $48,387,994. And in real estate, standard exemptions including those for veterans and the blind totaled $1,349,750, for a net assessment of $479,411,650. 

Brown said the deadline for taxpayers to file a written appeal is Feb. 20. The Board of Assessment Appeals will then hear the appeals during the month of March.