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New Shoreham council raises elderly and disabled exemption thresholds, preserves veterans benefit
Summary
Council approved raising the elderly/disabled income limit to $55,000 and the tax credit to $850 (effective 12/31/24); it also adopted a veterans-exemption amendment to preserve the benefit amount consistent with state law, with the veterans measure recorded as 'Ayes, 7.'
The New Shoreham Town Council voted Nov. 4 to amend Chapter 17 (Taxation and Finance) to update the elderly and disabled tax exemption and to approve an amended veterans exemption ordinance.
Amy from the Board of Assessors presented the elderly-and-disabled proposal: raise the income-eligibility threshold from $40,000 to $55,000 and increase the tax credit from $600 to $850, using CPI adjustments from February 2012 to August 2024. Amy said the change would be effective 12/31/24 and that last tax year nine accounts used the exemption for about $5,400 in total town tax dollars.
Jennifer Phillips of the Senior Advisory Council, who said the group had proposed a $60,000 threshold, asked why the assessor's recommendation was lower; Amy explained differences in CPI reference months and that the assessor’s recommendation favored a slightly higher income limit while balancing the credit amount. The council approved the amendment after closing the public hearing.
On veterans exemptions, Amy said state law requires keeping the benefit amount consistent with prior statutory calculations (the 2012 benefit had been $887.44); to match that figure the updated exemption amount computes to $160,768 under current reevaluation numbers. "We are not reducing veterans benefits," Amy said. The council approved the veterans ordinance (vote recorded as "Ayes, 7").
Councilors and speakers noted the programs cover a small number of accounts but are important to eligible residents. Staff will incorporate the amendments into the tax-billing schedule so changes take effect with the next cycle.
Next steps: staff to finalize ordinance language and update tax billing for the effective date of Dec. 31, 2024.
