Westport Town Assessor Paul Friia has announced that on Jan. 31 he signed the Oct. 1, 2009 Grand List as required by state statute. 

“The net Grand List of $10,910,243,025 represents an increase of approximately 1.35 percent over the 2008 Grand List based on 2005 values,” said Friia. 

The list is the sum of the assessed value of all taxable property, including real estate, motor vehicles, and personal property.  

Motor vehicles and personal property are valued annually, while real estate is updated based on the market values determined as of the town’s last revaluation date of Oct.1, 2005.  

The increases in the Grand List are in the categories of real estate and personal property, Friia said. 

Real estate increased due to the continuation of building activity mainly in the residential area, but increases also came with the construction of a new bank building, he said.

Friia said personal property increased by 19.3 percent due mainly to the continued installation of a Connecticut Light & Power Co. transmission line and through the use of personal property audits.  

Motor vehicles declined by two and one-half percent, which is two percent less that last year, he noted. 

The breakdown of the 2009 Grand List follows: 

Assessment	2009	% of List
Real Estate	$10,777,628,396.	95.12
Personal Property	$      248,590,859.	2.28
Motor Vehicle	$      284,023,770.	2.60
TOTAL	$10,910,243,025.	100%

The Grand List will be used for fiscal year 2010-2011 town budget calculations pending the outcome of Board of Assessment Appeals hearings in March.

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