Selectmen approve expansion of senior tax program

Date: 2/9/2009

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



WILBRAHAM The Board of Selectmen recently agreed to allow up to 15 seniors the ability to work for town departments through the Senior Tax Work-Off Abatement Program.

The program allows seniors who qualify to earn a tax abatement of up to $750 per fiscal year.

The program, which was accepted at the Annual Town Meeting in May 2003, currently allows 13 seniors to participate.

Selectmen James Thompson noted at the Board of Selectmen's Jan. 26 meeting that allowing more seniors to participate in the program might help fill gaps possibly caused by budget cuts.

"Departments may need to rely on part-time help from seniors," Board of Selectmen Chair Patrick Brady added.

During the current fiscal year, seniors filled positions at the Senior Center, the Wilbraham Public Library, the Collector's Office and the Public Access Television studio.

"It's been going extremely well," Dorothy Hooper, director of the Senior Center, said. "This past year we had four positions, with two in the office and two as van drivers. [The program has] given us extra help."

She added that the Senior Center is "extremely fortunate" that about half of those who work there through the Senior Tax Work-Off Abatement Program continue volunteering after their monetary limit is reached.

Hooper said that any senior interested in volunteering or applying for the abatement program should contact the Senior Center at 596-8379.

The library has program positions for pages and office assistants; the Collector's Office, a position as a collection clerk; and the public access TV studio has receptionist and camera/production assistant positions.

"It's helpful to have [the seniors]," Herta Dane, Human Resources Assistant for the town, told Reminder Publications.

Dane explained that the positions made available through the program are paid Massachusetts minimum wage (eight dollars an hour) and to reach the $750 maximum abatement, seniors need to work 93.75 hours during a fiscal year. How busy a senior in the program is varies from department to department.

To be eligible for the Senior Tax Work-Off Abatement Program, a person must be older than 60 and must have owned and occupied a home in Wilbraham for at least five years. Only one qualifying owner of the parcel may earn an abatement through the program per fiscal year.

Application forms for the program are available on the town's Web site at www.wilbraham-ma.gov. For more information, contact Dane at 596-8111 or hdane@wilbraham-ma.gov.