Developers have not paid real estate taxes to Aroostook town

LIMESTONE, Maine — Private developers who own a portion of the former Loring Air Force Base have not paid their real estate tax bill, according to town leaders.

In a Select Board meeting Wednesday, interim Town Manager Alan Mulherin told board members that he would be sending 30-day tax lien notices to property owners who have not yet paid real estate taxes this year. He said that Green 4 Maine, which purchased 450 acres of Loring in 2023 , is one of the entities with an outstanding bill.

Since the Air Force base closed in 2023, the town had been unable to collect taxes on Loring property because the Loring Development Authority, which still owns most of the 3,800-acre Loring Commerce Center, is a public municipal corporation overseen by the state.

But Green 4 Maine’s private ownership makes the 58 buildings on its land taxable. Last fall, that taxation led to Limestone’s most significant mill rate decrease in years — from 28 mills to 22.69 mills — and a jump in total taxable real estate from $61,549,510 to $69,296,250.

According to Mulherin, Green 4 Maine owes the town $155,580, which includes $152,751 in principal payments and accumulated interest of $2,829. The town’s 4 percent interest rate for unpaid taxes began Jan. 1. Tax bills were sent out in November and due Dec. 1.

Between 2019 and 2023, the town has recorded $441,544 in unpaid taxes, plus accumulated interest of $464,130. For 2024, there is $282,483 total, plus $287,901 in interest.

“[Green 4 Maine’s bill] is one quarter of our overdue taxes [this year],” Mulherin told the Select Board.

Efforts to reach Green 4 Maine co-founder and President Scott Hinkel for comment have not been successful

It’s a crucial time for Limestone as Green 4 Maine looks to redevelop its portion of Loring Commerce Center. This year, residents agreed to let the town pursue tax incentive agreements with Green 4 Maine, which would allow the developers and town to receive portions of increased tax values from redeveloped property.

But so far Green 4 Maine has not reached out to remedy its tax situation, Mulherin said Friday. He also said that the town has not heard from Green 4 Maine since applications for the tax incentive agreements were filed with the state in April.

“We want to be business partners, but in order for that to happen, they need to be business partners,” Mulherin said.