Form of Government

Except for the schools, town governance is vested in a seven member Town Council, elected at large for staggered three-year terms. Municipal elections are held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. Candidates for Town Council and the seven member School Board run on a non-partisan basis.

The Town Council appoints the town manager, town assessor, town attorney and members of numerous boards, committees and commissions. The council enacts ordinances after public hearings and determines overall policy. The council also adopts an annual budget each May.

The town manager administers day-to-day operations and appoints department heads subject to the approval of the Town Council. The manager prepares the budget and is responsible for its implementation.

The Town has a full-time police department, on-call fire and rescue companies, a public works department, assessing, codes and planning offices, a public library, a lighthouse museum, an emergency preparedness department, a full service Town Hall, and administers a local general assistance program. Cape Elizabeth contracts with Portland for emergency dispatching. Water and sewer services are provided by the Portland Water District. Electric service is from Central Maine Power Company.

Tax Information

The property tax rate for 2009-2010 is $17.54 per thousand valuation at 78% valuation. Taxes are due twice yearly at the beginning of April and October. Sewer fees begin at $34.84 per month for homes with sewer service. (Base fee will increase to $36.25 beginning Jan. 1, 2010; and, $37.70 beginning Jan. 1, 2011.)

Quick References
Water and Sewage Service: Portland Water District - 207-774-5961
Electric Utility: Central Maine Power - 1-800-750-4000
Gas Utility: Northern Utilities - 207-797-8002
Cable Television: Time-Warner Cable - 207-253-2222; 1-800-833-2253
Cape Elizabeth Fire Department Business Line (Non-Emergency) 207-799-6409
Cape Elizabeth Police Department Business Line (Non-Emergency) 207-767-3323
Police-Fire-Rescue Emergency: 9-1-1
Library: Thomas Memorial Library - 207-799-1720

Cape Elizabeth Statistics

View statistics back to 1990 (PDF format. Adobe's Acrobat Reader is required. Download it for free here.)

2000 Population	9,068
1990 Population	8,854
	FY 2005	FY 2006	FY 2007	FY 2008	FY 2009
BIRTHS	60	62	63	61	50
DEATHS	76	83	44	63	76
MARRIAGES	86	53	65	43	65
TOWN COUNCIL MEETINGS	21	16	13	18	17
TOTAL VALUATION (MILLIONS)	$1,276.0	$1,291.1	$1,310.1	$1,324.1	$1,335.3
TOTAL TAX RATE	$15.34	$  15.92	$  16.16	$  16.46	$  17.44
TOWN TAX RATE	$    3.31	$    3.39	$    3.59	$    3.67	$    4.05
SCHOOL TAX RATE	$  11.25	$  11.53	$  11.58	$  11.79	$  12.34
SEWER MIN. MONTHLY CHARGE	$  31.50	$  32.50	$  34.50	$  34.50	$  34.84
MUNICIPAL SPENDING	$9,158,020	$8,625,505	$9,964,594	$10,471,759	$9,885,784
SCHOOL SPENDING	$16,262,424	$17,384,139	$18,035,452	$18,624,631	$18,858,306
STATE REVENUE SHARING	$    714,064	$    664,774	$    702,395	$    740,197	$    667,238
STATE EDUCATION FUNDING	$1,831,434	$2,168,585	$2,655,082	$2,836,183	$2,654,038
EXCISE TAX INCOME	$1,736,255	$1,802,245	$1,767,055	$1,745,840	$1,654,447
MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS	8,789	8,875	8,913	8,764	8,509
ONLINE MOTOR VEHICLE REGS	876	1,013	1,085	1,159	1,283
% VEHICLES REGISTERED ONLINE	10.0%	11.4%	12.2%	13.2%	15.1%
REGISTERED VOTERS
UNDESIGNATED FUND BALANCE	$1,844,642	$2,050,845	$2,093,201	$2,151,825	$2,164,739
TOTAL DEBT OWED	$21,370,531	$28,139,873	$25,939,635	$26,297,164	$24,093,100
SCHOOL POPULATION	1,819	1,838	1,813	1,784	1,738
COMM SVCS PROGRAMS	632	668	674		717
LIGHTHOUSE VOLUNTEER HRS.	2,754	2,840	2,824	2,884	2,860
PTLD HEAD LIGHT GIFT SALES	$    460,110	$    460,558	$    479,987	$    508,334	$    458,200
NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES	25	27	10	8	11
SINGLE FAMILY HOMES REPLACED			1	3	2
NEW CONDOMINIUMS	-	-	-	-	-
POLICE ARRESTS	65	63	106	96	64
POLICE COMPLAINTS INVESTIG.	751	740	675	535	488
SUMMONSES	675	440	636	492	438
PARKING TAGS	256	125	206	111	149
RESCUE CALLS	572	499	485	477	443
FIRE CALLS	314	363	570	270	357
VEHICLE ACCIDENTS	120	126	106	118	94
WETEAM CALLS	15	16	27	20	20
PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING HOURS	4,650	4,311	4,304	3,120	3,825
PUB. SAFETY VOLUNTEER HRS.	14,573	10,485	11,835	10,501	11,689
FIRE/ POLICE UNIT CALLS	153	100	95	95	108
REGISTERED MOORINGS	92	90	95	103	96
TONS OF RECYCLING	3,560	3,773	4,435	4,840	3,537
SILVER BULLET BIN RECYCLING	949	696	760	1,037	1,146
TONS OF SOLID WASTE	3,687	3,724	3,978	3,275	2,877
MILES OF TOWN ROADS	59.62	62.09	62.36	62.36	62.36
INCHES OF SNOW PLOWED	102	47	55	103	81.1
MILES OF ROADS RESURFACED	1.23	0.82	2.09	2.25	2.75
SCHOOL POPULATION	1,819	1,838	1,813	1,784	1,738
FULL TIME EQUIV. TEACHERS	160	161	160	160	161
FULL TIME MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES	58	58	57	55	54
LIBRARY CIRCULATION	124,218	131,165	135,483	138,338	157,352
PLANNING BOARD AGENDA ITEMS	64	32	24	27	18
PB WORKSHOP AGENDA ITEMS	28	25	20	27	21
ZONING BOARD AGENDA ITEMS	11	12	6	3	4