Equitable Tax Relief For Our Seniors

To the Editor:

How fair is it to tax one’s home to pay for the expenses of running a community? In many cases there is no correlation between a family’s ability to pay their property tax and the value of their home. All tax systems in this country are based on the ability to pay. Let’s look at two families which represent two different generations that live in Newtown:

The first family moved into Newtown in the 60s and looked forward to a well-deserved retirement. Their annual income is based on their social security payments and conservative investments, which most of us know don’t even keep up with inflation. These low interest rates are a financial disaster to those seniors on a fixed income. This family’s house is worth approximately $300,000 and is taxed at approximately $5,000, representing 20 percent of their income after taxes. As I have stated before, this couple placed no financial burden on the school system (which represents two-thirds of every tax dollar collected) and a minimal burden on the selectman’s budget, as softball, tennis, and visits to the town parks are low on this couple’s priority for entertainment. Our police department would more resemble the Maytag repairman if they had to rely on our senior citizens for business as reflected in the police reports published every week in The Newtown Bee. So, after factoring out what services the elderly actually use, its probably closer to 20 percent of all the services the town actually funds.

The second family has two children attending the public school system. Their home has been appraised at the same value as the retired family and, like most young families, they are a two-income household with an accumulative income approaching $100,000. This family places a 100 percent financial burden on the town but their property tax of $5,000 only represents approximately seven percent of their income after taxes. As this example proves, the family with the greater ability to pay and who also places the greatest financial burden on the town is paying the same as our seniors.

As has been stated in letters to The Letter Hive, most of the seniors are not voting the budget down because they want fewer services and they are against education; it comes down to one thing and that is the ability to pay. The scary thing is that no one has a solution, which is going to even slow down the increase in taxes in the coming years. Mr Kortze recently stated that to create just one mill decrease in taxes, you would have to double the top ten taxpayers in Newtown.

Some new system has to be devised, as this system is polarizing the community and placing undue tax burdens on those that can least afford it. The Legislative Councils’ passage of tax relief for senior citizens would be laughable if it wasn’t so pathetic. Seniors who have an income of $35,000 saw an increase in tax relief of $63, which increases it to $700. For seniors that will see their taxes go up $1,000, this rebate increase will drop it to $940. In most cases the increases that seniors will see this year will entirely wipe out their whole tax rebate credit. This increase reminds me of dining out at a fine restaurant, receiving excellent service and leaving the waitress a one percent tip — why bother? I recently had a copy of a statement of property taxes from an elderly retiree living in Long Island, N.Y.. and her property taxes have been reduced from $4,872 per year to $971 due to multiple exemptions. For a town which is classified as the 12th richest in the State of Connecticut, Newtown’s tax rebate program falls far short of helping our seniors. Recently, a senior citizen made a statement in The Letter Hive last month that the sleeping giant has been awakened. The political season is upon us and the candidate that steps forward with a viable solution for much deserved major tax relief for our senior citizens will be rewarded. When is the last time this town expended monies solely for the benefit of our senior citizens? The saying “Nicer in Newtown” is something our seniors can be proud of because they are the ones who have made this the special town that it is.

I’m going to recommend a book by Tom Brokaw called The Greatest Generation to a young lady on Equestrian Ridge Road, and after reading this book maybe she will rethink her statement: “then consider this — maybe you shouldn’t live in a family friendly community” which she wrote back on May 16, 2003 in The Letter Hive. Maybe more of our students should spend a few hours helping organizations like Meals on Wheels to get a better feel for the makeup of this community. Our seniors are very unique. They are not organized, outgoing. or abrasive. They just show up to donate their time, knowledge. and energy into making Newtown the special place that it is and they do need our help. The beauty of tax relief for our seniors, as everyone knows, will also help solve our tax problems today by keeping them in town.

Sincerely,

Frank Gardner

6 Surrey Trail, Sandy Hook                                             June 23, 2003