Forney adopts expanded homestead exemption for seniors and disabled homeowners

The Forney City Council voted to adopt a local residence homestead exemption for persons age 65 or older and for disabled homeowners. The ordinance sets a $65,000 exemption for seniors and a $35,000 exemption for disabled persons and was assigned ordinance number 25-04.

City financial staff explained the program and its fiscal effect. Miss Deborah Woodham summarized state eligibility rules and county processing: to qualify for the 65-or-older exemption an individual must be age 65 or older, have an ownership interest in the property and live in the home as their principal residence; applications are filed with the Kaufman County Appraisal District, she said. Woodham said the appraisal district supplied counts of roughly 1,278 homeowners who would qualify for the 65-or-older exemption and about 102 who would qualify as disabled.

Why it matters: Council members framed the exemption as targeted relief for residents on fixed incomes. Council Member Weatherford and others described seniors as a vulnerable population that would benefit from reduced property-tax bills. Finance staff said the city budgeted $15,515,500 in maintenance and operations taxes and estimated the exemption would reduce that revenue by about $336,000; staff stated the city could absorb that impact.

Council discussion and vote: Council Member Weatherford moved to adopt the exemption at the stated amounts and Council Member Traylor seconded. The motion passed and the ordinance was adopted; the transcript does not include a roll-call tally. Staff noted the Kaufman County Appraisal District indicated that if the ordinance is adopted before July, the exemption would take effect this tax year and be reflected on tax bills mailed in October.

Ending: Council members characterized the action as an affordability measure for seniors and disabled homeowners and directed staff to proceed with implementation through the appraisal district.