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Seniors urge broader tax relief as Ulster County considers partial exemption
Summary
Residents urged the Ulster County Legislature to make a proposed partial county tax exemption for low‑income seniors more comprehensive, warning that piecemeal relief could still lead to foreclosures and urging automatic school‑tax reductions for long‑time residents.
Chair Criswell opened a public hearing on proposed Local Law No. 2 of 2026, which would amend county code §3‑12‑4 to allow a partial county tax exemption for residences owned by low‑income senior property owners. Two members of the public spoke in favor of relief and urged the legislature to go further.
John Mallon said he applauds the graduated property‑tax relief in the proposal but urged a comprehensive approach to prevent older residents from being forced from their homes. "We have to do more than granular approaches," Mallon said, arguing that retirement incomes often decline even as property taxes rise and that piecemeal programs leave many seniors vulnerable to foreclosure and eviction.
Yvonne Sewell, who said she has been advocating for seniors for months, described the burden of combined school and property taxes in Kingston and urged automatic reductions for older residents. She referenced a legislative summary she received that would cap certain real‑estate property taxes for people over 65 and said she is a "100% advocate" for broad school‑tax relief.
The hearing record shows no formal changes to the draft law during public comment. After the public speakers concluded, a motion to close the hearing was made, seconded, and carried by voice vote.
Why it matters: Legislators will consider testimony from county residents who said current programs are too narrow to protect many older homeowners. Any change to county property‑tax policy would affect tax liabilities for homeowners across Ulster County and could require coordination with towns and school districts on school‑tax relief provisions.
Next steps: The record for Local Law No. 2 will remain open per the county’s process while legislators review testimony; no final vote on the local law occurred at this meeting.
