April 8, 2003
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held at 7:30 P.M. in the Sharon Town Offices with Chair Allen M. Garf, and Selectmen Norman Katz and Walter Joe Roach and Town Administrator Benjamin E. Puritz.
The meeting was called to order at 7:35 P.M.
Minutes
VOTED: (Katz/Roach) Voted unanimously to approve the Minutes of March 27, 2003 including Executive Session.
Proposal for Booster Pump
The Board reviewed written recommendations for a booster pump by Cliff Towner in his letter of March 31, 2003. This proposal will be forwarded to the Town’s consultants.
Southeastern Regional Vocational-Technical School - Assessment
The Board reviewed correspondence from the Southeastern Regional Vocational-Technical School. The Town has been notified that its assessment for the fiscal period beginning July 1, 2003 is $196,435. This represents a significant increase and will impact the budget with a $162,000 shortfall in this line item.
North Main Street/South Main Street
The Board noted correspondence from the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization, dated March 28, 203, stating that the program is on track to be advertised by September 30, 2003. The Board is optimistic that the notice to advertise the project will be given this spring.
Recess - Enter Executive Session
VOTED: (Katz/Roach) Voted unanimously to enter into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing matters of Collective Bargaining and Pending Litigation, and to reconvene in Regular Session at 8:30 P.M.
The Board recessed at 7:55 P.M.
The Board reconvened at 8:30 P.M.
Property Tax Exemptions for Senior Citizens
Norma S. Fitzgerald and Mel Leventhal were present to discuss increased exemptions for Senior Citizens as included within two articles for the Annual Town Meeting, as follows:
ARTICLE 6
To see if the Town will vote to increase the availability of tax exemptions to senior citizens owning real property pursuant to General Laws Chapter 59, Section 5, clause 41C, as authorized by Chapter 184, Section 51 of the Acts of 2002, by approving the following:
1. Decreasing the eligibility age from 70 to 65;
2. Increasing the value of the tax exemption, currently $4,000 in valuation of $500, whichever is greater to $8,000 in valuation of $1,000, whichever is greater;
3. Increasing the maximum gross income, currently set at $13,000 for individuals and $15,000 if married, to $20,000 for individuals and $30,000 if married;
4. Increasing the maximum allowable assets, currently set at $28,000 for individuals and $30,000 if married, to $40,000 for individuals and $55,000 if married; and
5. Excluding the owner’s domicile from the calculation of assets except for any portion of said property that produces income and exceeds three dwelling units,
or take any action relative thereto.
AND
ARTICLE 7
To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to petition the General Court for a special act to provide that the Assessors of the Town of Sharon, when applying the provisions of General Laws Chapter 59, Section 5, clause 41A, shall apply the following criteria with regard to the deferment of property taxes; provided however, that the General Court may make clerical or editorial changes only to the bill, unless the Board of Selectmen approves amendments to the bill before enactment by the General Court which are within the scope of the general public objectives of the petition, and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to approve such amendment:
1. That 60 years be the minimum age at which a property owner may be considered a senior for the purpose of deferred payment of property taxes;
2. That $60,000 be the maximum income which singles or couples may have to be eligible to defer their payment of property taxes;
3. That the annual interest rate to be paid on the deferred taxes be 4% in the first year and set annually thereafter by the Board of Selectmen, provided that in no even shall the rate exceed 8%; and
4. That there be no restrictions on the number of years a property owner who wishes to defer payment of property taxes must:
a. be domiciled in the Commonwealth;
b. own and occupy as his domicile such real property.
Said legislation to take effect without further submission to a Town Meeting.
Mark Mazur, Assistant Assessor, was also present to discuss the financial implications of the following statutory exemption related warrant articles at spring town meeting:
Veteran’s Exemption
Sr. Citizen - Clause 41C - Exemptions Options - Adjustments
Sr. Citizen - Property Tax Work-off - increase maximum
Sr. Citizen - Clause 41A - Property Tax Deferment - Change Criteria
Mr. Mazur stated that each of the exemptions under consideration will be funded through the overlay account. Any extra funds that need to be allocated to the overlay account to cover these exemptions, mean less money for other items in the Town’s budget and mean that the tax bills of all other taxpayers will increase to compensate for the increases in exemption money paid out. Town Administrator Puritz stated that since we have been taxing at the maximum allowable rate the abatements would affect the operating budget.
Veteran’s Exemptions - Clause 41C:
Under this article, the historical doubling of exemption amounts at Town Meeting must be applied to all exemptions not just the veteran’s exemptions. This would affect the revised clause 41C exemption. Because people have to pay at least as much as they did the year before, the doubling of the new exemptions will accumulate over several years as tax bills go up, until the person reaches the fully doubled exemption amount.
Sr. Citizen - Clause 41 C - Adjustments:
The revised version would make it easier for individuals to qualify for this exemption. It is estimated that the number of people who could qualify for the revised Clause 41C would allow more than 210 household with someone over 75 to clearly qualify and that it’s possible that another 120 households over age 75 would also qualify.
There was some disagreement as to the amount of increased exemptions that would be made based on the warrant articles between Mr. Mazur and Ms. Fitzgerald. Mr. Mazur suggested that the changes be made conservatively until its full impact can be assessed as to the number of eligible residents that will apply and will qualify.
It was the recommendation of Mr. Leventhal to ask the Board to support all of the increases for property tax exemptions and, he stated that, based on his calculations, there should be “ no or minimized impact on the tax rate.”
It was the consensus of the Board to fully support the concept for all the exemptions at this time.
Adjourn the Meeting
VOTED: (Katz/Roach) Voted unanimously to adjourn for the evening.
Katy, aye; Roach, aye; Garf, aye.
The meeting adjourned at 9:25 P.M.
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