Monday, September 14, 2015
Commission To Consider Supplementing Property Tax Relief Program For Seniors, Disabled
Lawrence County Commission and Trustee's Office Press Release
The Lawrence County Commission will consider a proposal at next week's Regular Session Meeting that would appropriate county funds to supplement the state's property tax relief program that benefits qualifying seniors, disabled citizens and disabled veterans each tax season. The proposal is in response to the state legislature's cut in funding for the program in the state's fiscal year 2015-2016 budget. The resolution is being sponsored by commissioners Chris Jackson, Wayne Yocom, Jeffrey Hughes, Phil Hood, Bert Spearman and Shane Eaton.
The statewide tax relief program was first implemented by the Tennessee State Legislature in 1973, as a way to help the elderly, disabled, disabled veterans and surviving spouses of disabled veterans pay property taxes each year. In order to qualify for the program, applicants must specific income guidelines put forth by the state each year. According to the Lawrence County Trustee's Office, currently 1,400 Lawrence Countains are on the tax relief program.
The Tennessee General Assembly reduced the state's funding for the tax relief program in this year's budget due to rising costs across the state. Instead of fully funding the program as in years past, the state reduced funding from $25,000 to $23,000, the first portion of home value for which tax relief will be reimbursed to elderly low income and disabled home owners. Reduced from $175,000 to $100,000, the first portion of home value for which tax relief will be reimbursed to disabled veteran home owners. Caped the income eligibility for the disabled veteran home owner tax relief program at $60,000 for those who have not received a tax reimbursement prior to tax year 2015.
"In light of the county's recent budget process, this commission stands committed to ensuring citizens on the tax relief program do not see a "double tax" because of the state's cut to the program," said Commissioner Chris Jackson. "The 1,400 Lawrence Countains currently on this tax relief program are among the least and most financially burdened in our county and we have a moral obligation to help these folks out as much as we can," he added.
Trustee Kiley Weathers is also supportive of the county commission's efforts to supplement the state's program. "Most of the citizens on the tax relief program are on a fixed income and rely heavily on the relief they get from the program each year and would feel the pain if the county did not act, Weathers said. "As Trustee, I applaud the commission's efforts to ensure these citizens do not see an additional increase in their property taxes this year." Weathers said that anyone interested in the qualifying guidelines for the program should come by the trustee's office to see if they are eligible for the program.
County officials say that they hope the state will reconsider the cut to the property tax relief program in next year's state budget. They say the state's cut has put already financially distressed counties in a no-win situation by forcing them either to supplement the cut with local tax dollars or let the cut stand which would result in a tax increase for citizens currently on the program. It is anticipated that the county's supplement will cost around $70,000 in county tax dollars this year.
The resolution will be considered at the September 22nd Regular Session Meeting. The meeting starts at 5:00 PM and is open to the public.
