There are 2 components to calculating the mill rate:
• Total property value in the city: The Assessing Department determines the market-based value of all properties in Ellsworth, which creates the city’s total assessed value.
• Amount needed to fund services: After state funding is finalized, the City Council sets the remaining amount of revenue needed from property taxes to support city services and schools.
That total funding need is then divided by the city’s total assessed value to establish the mill rate.
Finally, the mill rate is applied to each property’s assessed value to determine that property’s share of taxes—helping ensure everyone contributes fairly to the services that support our community.