[Adopted 5-13-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-85 (Ch. 41 of the 2007 Code)]
[Amended 6-15-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-65; 6-7-2021 by Order No. 2021-53]
The purpose of this article is to establish property tax assistance
to persons 65 years of age and older who are residents of the City.
Under this program, the City shall provide refund payments to those
individuals who maintain a homestead in the City and meet the criteria
established by this article.
For purposes of this article, the following definitions shall
apply:
HOMESTEAD
The dwelling owned or rented by a taxpayer or held in a revocable
living trust for the benefit of the taxpayer and occupied by the taxpayer
and file taxpayer's dependents as a home and may consist of a part
of a multidwelling or multipurpose building and a part of the land,
up to 10 acres, upon which it is built. For purposes of this article,
"owned" includes a vendee in possession under a land contract, one
or more joint tenants or tenants in common and possession under a
legally binding agreement that allows the owner of the dwelling to
transfer the property but continue to occupy the dwelling as a home
until some future event stated in the agreement.
QUALIFYING APPLICANT
A person who is determined by the Tax Collector to be eligible
for tax assistance under the provisions of this article.
RENT CONSTITUTING PROPERTY TAX
Fifteen percent of the gross rent actually paid for the right
of occupancy of the homestead. For purposes of this article "gross
rent" means rent paid in an arms-length transaction solely for the
right of occupancy of a homestead, exclusive of charges for any utilities,
service, furniture, furnishings, or appliances furnished by the landlord
as part of the rental agreement, whether or not expressly set forth
in the rental agreement.
In order to participate in the property tax assistance program,
an applicant must demonstrate the following:
A. The applicant is at least 65 years of age as of July 1 of the tax
year for which the applicant seeks property tax assistance.
[Amended 6-15-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-65; 6-7-2021 by Order No. 2021-53]
B. The applicant has a homestead in the City at the time of the application
and for the entire year prior to the date of the application.
C. The applicant has been a resident of the City for at least 10 years
immediately preceding the date of the application.
D. The applicant meets all of the criteria set forth in §
286-5.