Both Decatur’s commission and school board have drafted resolutions seeking homestead exemptions for seniors 65 and over that they’re taking to the state Legislature this month.
If the resolution passes the legislature and then voter approval, seniors wouldn’t have to pay the school ad valorem tax on their homes. The current age limit for school exemptions is 80
Last week, however, Decatur’s school board decided to ask for a “sunset provision” to their resolution. The provision would last three to five years, likely depending on what the legislature decides, after which the exemption would have to be renewed or revised.
School board Chair Annie Caiola explained that the sunset provision is a safeguard. CSD’s primary intention is to help keep seniors in their homes, and to not have them replaced by families with school-age children. CSD’s resolution currently has no income restrictions for seniors, something the board may want to change in three or five years.
“We don’t want [Decatur becoming] a haven for seniors moving in to take advantage of the tax break,” Caiola said. “With the sunset it’s less of a hurdle to make a change in the law if we get to the tipping point of too many seniors. Without [the sunset] you go through the whole process of drafting another resolution, which takes a long time.”
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