How Grand Indeed...NOT

Stamford's so-called Grand List (the value of all taxable property, including real estate, automobiles and business equipment) now totals $23.9 billion, in case you wanted to buy the place!

By comparison, our neighboring city, Greenwich, is valued at $33.8 billion. We're catching them...not!

As is well known, the Grand List directly affects the owners of those properties mentioned above, since this is how their local property tax rates are set. Higher grand list, higher property taxes.

Stamford had a revaluation of the city in 2006, the first since 1999, and the list nearly DOUBLED, from $11 billion to $20.9 billion, though who knows exactly why. The 2007 revalutation came in at 15% above this (another $3 million), despite falling home prices in certain areas of the city. They said it was because of the increased value of commercial properties, based upon a handful of recent sales.

Hey, just because a few out-of-city companies overpaid for their office space is little reason for us all to pay more property taxes at this time, huh?

Of interest:

* Stamford's largest tax district A - - South End, East Side, West Side, Waterside, Shippan (the mayor's home area) and Cove - - jumped by 23%, up $12.2 billion.
* Stamford's CS district - - Glenbrook, Sprindale, Belltown and Turn of River - - jumbed by 6% to $5 billion.