Town of Charlestown, RI Blind Person's Exemption Procedures

Any blind person newly applying for this property tax exemption shall be deemed eligible upon complying with the following:

Complete and submit an application form to the Town Tax Assessor no later than January 31.

Submit, with said application, documentation from a licensed eye physician as to the condition of the applicants eyes.

Said documented condition of the applicant's eyes must meet the guidelines stated in G.L. 1956 § 44-3-12.

Applicant must be a legal resident of the State of Rhode Island and the Town of Charlestown.

Those applicants who received this exemption prior to passage of this article shall be deemed eligible for this exemption, if they received such benefit on the last certified tax roll, ending December 31, 1985.

Prior to December 1st, the Tax Assessor must send to each current exemption participant a verification document requiring proof of ownership and residency for only those participants that own property in a Life Estate or Trust.

[Added 2-11-2019 by Ord. No. 379; amended 3-11-2024 by Ord. No. 412]

(1)

Recipient must complete and return this Proof of Residence document, to the Tax Assessor's office prior to March 15th;

(2)

If the Proof of Residence document is not received by March 15th, the Tax Assessor must remove all corresponding exemptions from the Recipient's tax account(s);

(3)

Once the tax bills are sent, a potential recipient whose exemptions have been removed due to not filing the Proof of Residence documents to the Tax Assessor in the time prescribed, shall have the right to submit a Tax Exemption Removal Complaint form to the Town Council through the Tax Assessor's office. This Tax Exemption Removal Complaint form will be submitted to the Town Council by the Tax Assessor within thirty (30) days of receipt, along with a request for tax abatement equal to the value of the exemptions removed.