

Kim Ecklund, R-At Large and Finance Committee chairwoman, factors to complicated wording in a proposal to support senior citizens repair their households as Tony Dolce, R-Ward 2 and council president Crystal Surdyk, city development director, Marie Carrubba, D-Ward 4 and Housing Committee chairwoman and Ryan Thompson, city comptroller, seem on.
P-J image by John Whittaker

A proposal to use federal stimulus revenue to aid senior citizens resolve their homes was preferred even prior to its formal acceptance by the Metropolis Council.
Council members have discussed the $500,000 Senior Citizen Home Advancement Incentive System and a $500,000 Residence Improvement Incentive System. The two courses are being proposed as a tandem to get to senior citizens across a array of money ranges. Finance Committee associates authorized the plans with handful of worries on Monday. The system is proposed as a result of the city assessor’s office environment.
“People are currently inquiring, Crystal, about can they get in touch with and apply now even nevertheless we have not voted on it nevertheless,” claimed Kim Ecklund, R-At Huge and Finance Committee chairwoman, addressing Crystal Surdyk, metropolis growth director. “Can they get on a checklist?”
The senior citizen method functions in two strategies. House owners who are possibly now getting, or would qualify to receive the Aged Exemption, could acquire up to a dollar-for-dollar rebate verify for either all repairs up to $10,000 or to 90% of the whole value of property repairs up to $10,000 depending on which aspect of the program they qualify to use. Owners who have lived in their dwelling for at minimum a calendar year and have overall cash flow, such as social security, a lot less than or equal to $22,000 for county taxes or $19,000 for town and faculty taxes could get the greenback-for-dollar rebate verify up to $10,000.
Property owners who are possibly at present obtaining or would qualify to acquire the Enhanced STAR Exemption or Check out Method can accomplish up to $10,000 in documented repairs or enhancements and get a rebate examine for 90% of the full charge. There had been issues about how considerably of a rebate senior citizens would approve. Clarification is needed, Ecklund reported, although council customers approve of the thought.
“Those issues nevertheless exist, though we are in favor of the resolution,” Ecklund explained. “We want to get some clarity with the metropolis assessor on some of the verbiage for the rebate volume and that clarification before we essentially vote. Other than that it handed Finance.”
Ecklund claimed the phrasing is critical due to the fact it could indicate the distinction in between seniors owning to commit money ahead of undertaking home advancement do the job. Clearing up the language could open the application to far more senior citizens alternatively than limiting it to these who have the financial means to do residence improvement perform.
“It’s confusing, so I required it cleared up before we move it,” Ecklund stated. “I really do not believe men and women have an difficulty with it, we just want to make certain the verbiage is crystal clear. I imagine we need to have to get that set at the very least. If someone is hurting for finances they never have $4,500 to shell out up entrance. That variety of defeats the objective.”








