Dramatic Growth For Shelton's Grand List Due To Pandemic

SHELTON, CT — The Grand List in Shelton, the listing of taxable property in the city, grew by 22.45 percent between 2020 and 2021, driven by the surge in property values due to people moving to the Connecticut suburbs during the coronavirus pandemic.

In 2020, Shelton's Grand list was $4.9 billion, and by 2021, it grew by nearly than $1.1 billion to a shade under $6 billion.

Real estate is the largest portion of the Grand List, comprising 86 percent of the list. Motor vehicles make up the next segment at 8 percent, followed by personal property (business equipment) at 6 percent.

What that large increase in the value of the Grand List could mean is a potential drop in Shelton's mill (tax) rate, Tax Assessor Bill Gaffney told Patch.

The city is in the midst of pulling together its 2022-23 operating budget, and Mayor Mark Lauretti said the rate could drop to 16 or 17 mills this year, Gaffney said.

Shelton's current mill rate is about 22 mills.

"No surprises, the [housing] market was booming," Gaffney said about the surging Grand List.