Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.

Town to consider senior tax relief

Date: 10/18/2011

Oct. 17, 2011

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

LONGMEADOW — A meeting to discuss the possible implementation of a measure to offer property tax relief to residents age 65 and older will take place at the Longmeadow Adult Center on Oct. 20 at 1:30 p.m.

Two separate initiatives will be discussed, which would offer compensation or tax considerations to senior property owners living on a fixed income.

“Some seniors are living on very little income, such as Social Security or a teacher’s pension for example,” John Bowen, chair of the Council on Aging, said. “Some are paying property taxes of $5,000 a year with an income of $25,000 to $35,000 a year.”

The first of the programs, the Means Tested Senior Citizen Property Tax Exemption, was recently approved by the town of Sudbury, a community Bowen said he’s worked closely with in order to see if such a program would work for Longmeadow. The town of Hamilton has also implemented such a tax break.

Bowen explained that the Circuit Breaker Tax Credit for Seniors, which is sponsored by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, provides a check for up to $970 to seniors whose total property tax expenses exceed 10 percent of their total income. The Means Tested Senior Citizen Property Tax Exemption would apply to those who qualify for the Circuit Breaker program, giving them a tax break of a similar amount.

The second option would require the town offer additional compensation of up to $980 to seniors who qualify for the Circuit Breaker credit, as opposed to shifting the tax burden to those who do not qualify.

Bowen said the final decision on whether to bring such a measure to a Town Meeting for a vote rests with the Select Board and the School Committee, but he stressed the tax break is an important issue for seniors to support.

“It may come up in the spring at a Town Meeting, but were willing to wait until the fall to make sure all of the numbers add up,” he said. “The only way this is going to happen is if the seniors get behind it, so everyone should attend to the meeting to make sure they are educated.”



Bookmark and Share