Media
Release
IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Tuesday 8
May 2007
Statements
from Councilwoman Cathy Graziano regarding Tax Relief for the
Elderly/Disabled
The City of
The program applies to homeowners over the age of 65, or who are permanently
disabled, and who have an income of less that $50,000 and assets of less than
$200,000, and can provide 100 percent relief from taxes in some
circumstances.
Last year council budgeted $1,980,000 for the program. Bluntly stated,
that wasn’t enough. We were informed in January that the program was
facing a shortfall of about $1,000,000. If that shortfall is not met, our
poorest and least
able
homeowners will be facing property tax bills they were not
expecting.
There is, by law, only one mechanism for closing the gap. In our system of
government, only the mayor may propose an appropriations amendment
during the
course of the year. I have met with Mayor Wilder, his staff and
Chief Financial Officer Harry Black, and to this point, they have either
refused, or have not moved forward with such an
amendment.
We have the money. There was more than $3,000,000 left over from the 2006
fiscal year which was not encumbered. We were told by the
Administration
that the ill-considered audits of the School Board and the Assessor’s Office
would cost approximately $500,000. There was $290,000 committed for valet
parking for bar and restaurant owners in Shockoe
Slip.
Council is moving to close the loophole for next year, by adding almost
$2,000,000 to the mayor’s proposed budget for tax relief. But for this
year, homeowners will be receiving an unexpected tax bill later this summer,
while we all wait for the mayor to act.
Contact:
For more information, please call Cathy Graziano, 4th District Councilwoman, at
804.640.9594
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