Bobby Charles, the Republican candidate for Maine governor, sits behind the wheel of his SUV in a new ad, pointing out that his vehicle is from 2015 and has 260,000 miles on it.
It still runs better than the Democratic state government, he says, going on to raise concerns about property taxes, energy costs and crime rates. His solution?
“I’m going to cut your property taxes by raising the homestead exemption,” Charles says.
Maine’s homestead exemption program, which provides tax relief for homeowners on their primary residences only, has been in the spotlight lately in the Maine governor’s race.
All three candidates, including Democrat Hannah Pingree and independent Rick Bennett, have pledged to expand it to provide tax relief and make life more affordable.
But Charles doesn’t use the program himself, despite his campaign saying he is eligible.
A spokesperson for Charles said Wednesday he has not claimed the exemption due to an oversight by his accountant, and that he plans to utilize it going forward.
“He’s going to get it and will save whatever money he’s able to save going forward, which is not enough because he’s suffering under these crazy, insane property taxes put on Mainers by the incumbent insider politicians,” said senior strategist Vincent Harris.
WHAT IS THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION?
Maine’s homestead exemption offers a reduction of up to $25,000 in the value of a home for property tax purposes, which can result in savings of hundreds of dollars on an annual bill.
The program is open to permanent Maine residents who have owned their home for at least 12 months, and it is limited to primary residences. Second homes and camps do not qualify.
It has been in existence since 1998 and the amount of the exemption was last increased in 2020, when the maximum went from $20,000 to $25,000.
In the 2025 tax year, more than 327,000 Maine taxpayers claimed the homestead exemption, according to the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services.
The state reimburses municipalities 76% of the tax revenue they lose through the program, which totaled $82 million in 2025.
ALL CANDIDATES PLAN TO EXPAND PROGRAM
Charles, who grew up in Maine, spent most of his career working for the federal government and running a consulting business in the Washington, D.C. area. He has owned his home in Leeds since 2006, but didn’t move back full time until 2022, the same year he sold a home in Maryland, according to property records.
Staff at the Leeds town office said Charles has not claimed a homestead exemption since moving back to Maine. His campaign said he does not rent or own homes elsewhere, and that he is eligible for the program.
At the same time, Charles has routinely complained about high property taxes in Maine. “I pay property taxes that keep going up, just like you,” he says in the ad.
Vincent said Wednesday that Charles wants to increase the exemption to $100,000 and that the campaign will be releasing details soon on how he plans to pay for it.
Both Pingree and Bennett currently receive the homestead exemption, according to property tax records in their hometowns of North Haven and Oxford, respectively.
Pingree has proposed doubling the exemption to $50,000. Her tax plans also call for an adjustment to state law to allow municipalities to tax second homes owned by non-Maine residents at higher rates.
A spokesperson criticized Charles’ plans Wednesday, saying his promise to increase the exemption doesn’t add up with his pledge to cut $4 billion from the state budget.
“You can’t promise a $4 billion budget cut and a tax break at the same time,” said Mary-Erin Casale. “The math doesn’t work, and Maine families deserve a plan that does.”
Bennett has pledged to increase the exemption for Mainers age 65 and older, who he says are most at risk of being taxed out of their homes, and said that over time, he wants to see the exemption for older Mainers increased until it equals half the value of a median-priced home.
Bennett has also said he will increase the state’s reimbursement rate to municipalities to help them cover the cost of the program, with a goal of increasing the rate three percentage points each year until it is fully state-funded.
“I will provide this tax relief to Mainers by conducting a full audit of how our tax dollars are being spent, holding tax expenditures accountable, and eliminating corruption and wasteful spending,” Bennett said in a written statement.