MONROE, CT — A hearing on a proposed amendment allowing more senior citizens and disabled residents to qualify for property tax relief will be held during a special meeting of the Town Council Monday, inside the Council Chambers of Monroe Town Hall at 6:45 p.m.
First Selectman Terry Rooney, who had requested an increase in income limits, consulted the tax assessor and town finance department before moving forward.
“As you are aware, rising costs and record inflation continue to place increased pressure on our elderly and permanently disabled residents, most of whom rely on fixed incomes to support their housing costs,” Rooney wrote in a letter to Town Council Chairman Jonathan Formichella on March 6.
The first selectman said income ranges in the Elderly and Permanently Disabled Tax Ordinance were last amended in 2007, so it is now outdated due to cost of living increases over the years.
The Town Council had expressed a shared consensus to move the new amendment forward to the Board of Finance which, during its meeting last Thursday, unanimously recommended that the proposal go to a hearing.
The proposal was also vetted by Town Attorney Frank Lieto.
Following the hearing on Monday, the Town Council will vote on a motion to adopt the amendment.
Among the changes, the income ranges of …
- $0 to $23,600 for a 15 percent tax cut and maximum reduction of $1,500 per year would be changed to $0 to $30,440.
- $23,601 to $32,700 for a 13 percent tax cut with a maximum reduction of $1,300 would be changed to $30,440 to $41,580.
- $32,701 to $47,376 for an 11 percent tax cut with a maximum reduction of $1,100 would be changed to $41,580 to $52,720.
- $47,377 to $55,850 for a 9 percent tax cut with a maximum reduction of $900 would be changed to $52,720 to $63,860.
- $55,851 to $60,000 for a 6 percent tax cut with a maximum reduction of $600 would be changed to $63,860 to $75,000.
During Thursday’s Board of Finance meeting, Vice Chair Katherine Stauffer said the tax relief program had 401 recipients with a $228,000 impact to the town last year, adding the assessor said the worst case scenario, with everyone who is eligible applying, the impact would be an estimated $440,900, which is something the town could handle.
“This is a second proposal that I had helping seniors,” Rooney said. “In the first I worked with the planning and zoning administrator to increase senior housing. Two hundred fifty more units can be built for our seniors. Although we welcome everybody to be here, it would be nice to have another place for our seniors to live more affordably.”
Residents can also participate in Monday’s hearing remotely via this link or by phone, 1-929-205-6099, Meeting ID: 848 1362 1350, Passcode: 542941.
All respectful comments with the commenter’s first and last name are welcome.
