Bettye Scoggins, 68, hopes the new property tax relief law passed
by state legislators last month will make her life a little more
manageable.
She said raising the income limit from $20,000 to $24,000 a year
will make her eligible to receive the state voucher. She works
part-time at the Ajax Turner Senior Citizen Center.
"I qualify under the income
limits," said Scoggins, whose husband died last year. She has since
bought a condominium near the new hospital that came with higher
taxes.
"Right now my car is tore up and I'm on a lot of medication. Oh
yes, this will definitely help me."
While the new property tax laws for seniors are being worked out,
Montgomery County officials won't have the details until the fall.
According to the law, property owners 65 and older, whose
combined income is $24,000 or less, will qualify for the tax relief
this year.
Those eligible can apply at the tax collection office when they
receive their tax bills. County taxes are due before the end of
February. City taxes are due before the end of May.
The law provides for eligible seniors to have all or a portion of
their property taxes to be paid by the state, but it is not an
exemption, and will be reimbursed for the first year.
After that, the seniors will receive a voucher along with their
property tax bills. The voucher should then be submitted to the tax
collection office.
Ivette Perez, deputy trustee, said she has seniors, disabled
veterans and widows coming into her office wanting the tax relief
now.
"We just explain to them that we don't have all the information
yet and that we don't even have the tax bills yet (to mail out),"
she said.
District 67 state Rep. Joe Pitts said nearly 600 more elderly
homeowners in Montgomery County will qualify for the tax relief with
the increased income allowance.
Statewide, nearly 60,000 more will qualify.
Pitts, who sponsored the House bill to get the income amount
raised, said he was happy to see more support for senior citizens.
"It's gratifying to do it and it was necessary that we include
that group," Pitts said.
Other laws passed recently were the Property Tax Freeze Program
and Disabled Veteran Tax Relief.
The tax freeze authorizes the city and county to adopt a property
tax freeze for homeowners 65 years and older. The income limit to
qualify for Montgomery County is $30,760 and it only applies to a
principal residence.
City and county officials should be voting on this measure within
the next couple of months.
Moreover, all disabled veteran property owners who have a
Department of Veterans rating of "permanent and total" will also
receive vouchers for tax relief.
theleafchronicle.com
