To the Editor:
At the December 15, 2025 meeting of the Lyme Board of Selectpeople, a proposal was put forward to adopt an alternative motor vehicle depreciation schedule for the Town of Lyme. Upon consideration of the underlying details, I voted against this proposal as I felt it represented an unnecessary and inappropriate tax increase. Despite my “NO” vote, the motion passed with the support of the other Selectpeople and Lyme will use this new approach to tax motor vehicles.
What will our motor vehicle taxes look like going forward? Well, for those fortunate enough to own “Classic Vehicles,” the tax basis will remain fixed at $500. For those who own vehicles less than 15 years old, the tax bill this year will be the same as last year, and then annual reductions in taxable basis and tax due will resume until the vehicles are 15 years old.
But for those who own vehicles that are already 15 years or older (about 1 out of every 4 vehicles in town), the upcoming tax bill will be 30% higher than it was last year, and it will continue at this new tax basis for as long as you own the vehicle or until you register it as a “Classic Vehicle.” EVERY vehicle, upon reaching its 15th year, will owe a tax bill 30% greater than it would have been under the previous depreciation schedule.
What reasons were offered in favor of this new approach?
- Connecticut Lawmakers adjusted policy so that municipalities could use this approach if they wanted to increase tax revenue
- Many other towns have adopted this approach
- It would bring in additional tax revenues to the town, thereby offering some increased budget flexibility
- It would slightly shift some of the annual tax burden from homeowners to motor vehicle owners
I voted against this proposal for several reasons.
The state did not mandate use of this approach and based on the latest forecast from the Board of Finance, I do not see a compelling reason to raise additional tax revenues from vehicles. Quite simply, why raise taxes if it is not necessary to do so? However, my foremost concern is for the owners of the “old” vehicles that will now see a 30% increase in tax basis going forward. It is possible that some of these folks may be facing financial hardships and own these older cars because they do not have the wherewithal to upgrade to newer vehicles at this time. To me it seems patently unfair to put into effect a policy that results in the highest tax increase for our neighbors that might be least able to afford the additional tax due.
Board of Selectpeople meetings occur on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month, at 4 PM at the Lyme Town Hall. Feel free to join us there.
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St. Louis, a Republican, is a selectperson of Lyme