Summary
Officials reported a 99% renewal rate for a senior tax relief program under recent changes tied to Senate Bill 190 and Senate Bill 756, with 2,632 of 2,731 new applicants accepted and nearly 6,698 total participants this year.
County officials reported that nearly 6,698 seniors participated in the county’s tax-relief program after the commission reviewed changes tied to Senate Bill 190 and Senate Bill 756. Details: The county sent 4,121 renewal notices; 16 were rejected in county records and 49 did not renew, yielding a reported 99% renewal rate for those previously enrolled. Officials said 2,731 new applications were received and 2,632 were accepted. Operational changes and outreach: Commissioners said staff worked across the collector’s, assessor’s and clerk’s offices to update software, refine application language and require notarization only for new applications going forward. Presiding Commissioner praised staff work and said the program’s changes will ease renewal for seniors; he also called the 99% renewal a strong result. Transparency concern: Eastern Commissioner Bradley Jackson said a constituent had called to note that revised order language had not been attached on the public website before the meeting, and he urged the commission to ensure agenda materials are posted in time for public review going forward. The commission approved the revised order with the updates and directed staff to publish it. Scale and context: Officials said the changes were drafted in consultation with county assessors and collectors statewide to align acceptance criteria for trusts under the new bills and that the program did not materially harm school taxing entities, according to the commission’s review.
