(a) 
Sixteen thousand seven hundred dollars ($16,700.00) of the market value of the residence homesteads of persons sixty-five (65) years of age or older shall be exempted from all ad valorem taxes levied by the city. Where any ad valorem tax has theretofore been pledged for the payment of any debt, the tax collector of the city shall have authority to continue to levy and collect the tax against the homestead property at the same rate as the tax so pledged until the debt is discharged, if the cessation of the levy would impair the obligation of the contract by which the debt was created.
(b) 
Persons claiming such exemption shall file with the tax collector, between January first and prior to April first, of the year for which such exemption is claimed, documentary proof of age satisfactory to the tax collector and a sworn claim for such exemption, describing the property for which the exemption is sought, on forms prescribed by the tax collector, giving complete information as provided for by such forms. In the event of good cause shown to the satisfaction of the tax collector, late applications may be accepted.
(c) 
The tax collector shall review the application and all submitted proof and information and shall determine eligibility for such exemption. The determination of the tax collector shall be final and the property in question shall be placed on the tax rolls of the city in accordance with such determination.
(1983 Code, sec. 26-8; Ordinance 8129 adopted 1/22/1981; Ordinance 2012-O0071, sec. 1, adopted 7/26/2012)
Ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) of the market value of residence homesteads of persons who are under a disability for purposes of payment of disability insurance benefits under federal old- age, survivors, and disability insurance or its successor shall be exempt from all ad valorem taxes levied by the city. An eligible disabled person who is sixty-five (65) years of age or older may not receive both the disability exemption and the over sixty-five (65) exemption in the same year but may choose either one. Where any ad valorem tax has theretofore been pledged for the payment of any debt, the tax collector of the city shall have authority to continue to levy and collect the tax against the homestead property at the same rate as the tax so pledged until the debt is discharged, if the cessation of the levy would impair the obligation of the contract by which the debt was created.
(Ordinance 8128 adopted 1/22/1981; 1983 Code, sec. 26-9; Ordinance 2012-O0071, sec. 1, adopted 7/26/2012)
If a person who is disabled or is sixty-five (65) years of age or older receives a specified residence homestead exemption, the total amount of ad valorem taxes imposed on that homestead by the city may not be increased while it remains the residence homestead of that person or that person’s spouse who is disabled or sixty-five (65) years of age or older and receives a residence homestead exemption on the homestead. If such disabled person or person sixty-five (65) years of age or older dies in a year in which the person received a residence homestead exemption, the total amount of ad valorem taxes imposed on the homestead by the city may not be increased while it remains the residence of that person’s surviving spouse if the spouse is fifty-five (55) years of age or older at the time of the person’s death.
Editor’s note–See corresponding note located in Appendix A of this code.
(1983 Code, sec. 26-9.1; Ordinance 2004-O0017, sec. 1, adopted 2/5/2004; Ordinance 2012-O0071, sec. 1, adopted 7/26/2012)