Jbg. officials mull senior tax exemption changes

NORTH CREEK | The Johnsburg Town Board is considering raising the income limits and realigning the sliding scale for their existing senior property tax exemption program, as well as establishing a similar tax exemption for households in which one or more occupants of any age have qualifying disabilities. The board discussed how they'd approach making such changes at their Sept. 16 meeting. The income limits for the senior exemptions were raised in 2023, so a combined household income of all of the property's occupants is $35,000 or less provides for a 50 percent tax exemption to be granted. The law, prior to the 2023 amendment, called for a full exemption of 50 percent to be granted for household occupants earning about $26,000 or less, according to former town officials. At the meeting, town supervisor Kevin Bean said that a search had been conducted for documents detailing the existing property tax exemption program and they could not be found in town records. Bean said these laws would be drafted soon by the town attorney and presented to the town board at one of their two meetings in October, but board member Jim Williams said that the board had a lot of decisions to make before drafting the laws. The aspects of the law to be considered include not only the income limits, but the structure of the associated sliding scale, and how to define what is considered as income under the local law — including social security proceeds, dividends and interest income, he said. Williams said the board members would also have to consider whether to allow late filings of exemption applications for people enduring specified hardships. "We have to be really careful and thoughtful about how we do this, to make sure we are serving the population that needs (the exemption), but not extending it to people who don't need it," he said. 'It's important that we don't just write it up and have a hearing without discussing these issues." Williams presented an tentative example of an amended local law for senior exemptions — featuring a full 50 percent reduction in taxation for households with occupants earning up to $50,000 in combined income, and a 20 percent reduction for income between $50,000 and $55,0000, and the reductions diminishing for incomes up to $58,000, but a town assessor for a neighboring municipality said that the state only allows senior exemptions for households with combined income up to $50,000. Bean suggested having the town's Senior Committee draft a proposal, and Bowers said it was important to also conduct research and discuss the various potential aspects of the law with the town assessor and representatives of the school district. In a related matter, the town board held an executive session Sept. 18 to interview candidates for the open position of Johnsburg Town Assessor, and three certified assessors were interviewed, according to informed sources. The issue is likely to be raised at the next town board meeting, set for Oct. 7.

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Jbg. officials mull senior tax exemption changes

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