The Elderly Tax Freeze
The Elderly Tax Freeze had its public hearing last Thursday I would say there were a good 100 people there in support of it and a few against it. The committee needed more time to review different scenarios and is going to be dealt with again at this Thursday’s Finance Committee meeting.
The Elderly Tax Freeze is for homeowners over age 70 with income under $50,000 would have their annual tax bill frozen at the current amount (the amount that they paid in July ‘06 & January ‘07) until they no longer own the property. Homeowners over age 70 with higher incomes can defer taxes with or without accruing interest, depending on income, until the house is sold or transferred. (Senior homeowners have always had the option of requesting a tax deferral but very few people take advantage of this option.)
The expected loss of revenue to the City is estimated at $1.3 million in year 1, working up to $4.02 million in year 5. This is not taking into account the amounts that we will get back when someone in the higher bracket moves (they have to pay the city back) nor can we say for certain that all eligible seniors will take part in this. That is why the above can be looked at only as an educated guess.
The Committee has a number of way of dealing with this
Passing it as is
Denying it as is
Revising it.
I don’t feel that it will be rejected out right, nor do I feel that it will pass in the current form. That is why I believe that it will pass with a number of revisions.
Some of the revisions proposed are to soften the financial impact this will have on the City. We can charge interest to people who make over a particular Gross Adjusted Income (GAI) that would be paid off when the home is sold.
We can cap the total reduction. This can be done on a citywide basis. Meaning we have $2 million to spend on this program and the reduction will be based on how many people apply but the lost revenue will not exceed the set dollar amount. Or we can cap the homeowner to a yearly credit of not more then $10,000 or what ever number is appropriate.
We can cap the people eligible to participate by lowering the income threshold.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Budget Issues Overview
Hi Everyone:
It is that time of year again, Tax Season! And for the Board of Aldermen it is budget time. We are currently hearing a number of issues that will impact the amount of money that you pay in taxes next July. I want your input so, I, as your representative have a basis for making a decision. Below are two of the issues that are hot topics now so lets start with them.
The Elderly Tax Freeze
Why didn’t the Mayor’s proposed mill rate not drop as expected
I will post this email the blog under separate headings so you can let me know what you think of each issue individually.
You can contact me via email at ward28@snet.net, posting in the comments section of www.motisandman.blogspot.com, or posting a comment at www.beaverhills.org in the forum titled “Ask Moti”.
If you are not comfortable posting publicly for what ever reason please email me and indicate in the email that you want to keep you name private. Otherwise I will be sharing your replies and thoughts with my colleagues as sent in (with names).
I will do my best to incorporate your ideas and look forward to hearing from you.
It is that time of year again, Tax Season! And for the Board of Aldermen it is budget time. We are currently hearing a number of issues that will impact the amount of money that you pay in taxes next July. I want your input so, I, as your representative have a basis for making a decision. Below are two of the issues that are hot topics now so lets start with them.
The Elderly Tax Freeze
Why didn’t the Mayor’s proposed mill rate not drop as expected
I will post this email the blog under separate headings so you can let me know what you think of each issue individually.
You can contact me via email at ward28@snet.net, posting in the comments section of www.motisandman.blogspot.com, or posting a comment at www.beaverhills.org in the forum titled “Ask Moti”.
If you are not comfortable posting publicly for what ever reason please email me and indicate in the email that you want to keep you name private. Otherwise I will be sharing your replies and thoughts with my colleagues as sent in (with names).
I will do my best to incorporate your ideas and look forward to hearing from you.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Notes on the Youth Committe
Hi Everyone:
Here are some of my notes & observations on the Committee of the Whole on Wednesday night.
Chair Bitsy Clark opened the session asking Alderman Perez to give an accounting of the Black & Hispanic Caucus trip to NYC a few weeks ago that was sponsored by Bank of America and was arranged Jeff Klaus who is a VP there.
They went to a number of places including the Doors in lower Manhattan & Kipps (I believe that that is the correct spelling) in the Bronx. Kipps is similar to our Amistad here in New Haven and the Doors is an amazing Youth Center that provides a full range of services - everything from tutoring help to in house job training to a medical clinic. An interesting note was that they started small (a few hundred thousand dollars per year) and now have a really large budget. Of course they serve a larger population but it still is amazing. They raise their funds in 3 parts 1) from the city of New York, 2) Grants 3) The Board of Directors (they have some "heavy hitters").
The question was then asked how we can bring something like that here. We already have an amazing school - Amistad - but what about the program? The discussion went on for a while touching on all topics from transportation to budgeting to neighborhoods served.
There was no solid resolution to this but we heard from Che Dawson & Pierette Silverman about what the City is doing. Firstly all Youth Programs will be coordinated through this new office so that someone will have an idea of all of the programs going on and will act as a central point so there will hopefully be a proper allocation of assets and if a parent or child is looking for information they can call just one place.
There will be an open school program this summer. With Hillhouse being one of them. There will be programs from children from ages 12 to 18. The details still have to be worked out with regard to times & programs. But when it is available I will let you know.
There was talk on what to do with the actual amendment – The committee can only continue if it is still tabled. But there is a feeling that it is time to vote on it and – as it reads now will probably fail. The hope is that by the crucial time of the Summer comes around we will have the programs and logistics in place to keep the kids active in a positive manner.
Here are some of my notes & observations on the Committee of the Whole on Wednesday night.
Chair Bitsy Clark opened the session asking Alderman Perez to give an accounting of the Black & Hispanic Caucus trip to NYC a few weeks ago that was sponsored by Bank of America and was arranged Jeff Klaus who is a VP there.
They went to a number of places including the Doors in lower Manhattan & Kipps (I believe that that is the correct spelling) in the Bronx. Kipps is similar to our Amistad here in New Haven and the Doors is an amazing Youth Center that provides a full range of services - everything from tutoring help to in house job training to a medical clinic. An interesting note was that they started small (a few hundred thousand dollars per year) and now have a really large budget. Of course they serve a larger population but it still is amazing. They raise their funds in 3 parts 1) from the city of New York, 2) Grants 3) The Board of Directors (they have some "heavy hitters").
The question was then asked how we can bring something like that here. We already have an amazing school - Amistad - but what about the program? The discussion went on for a while touching on all topics from transportation to budgeting to neighborhoods served.
There was no solid resolution to this but we heard from Che Dawson & Pierette Silverman about what the City is doing. Firstly all Youth Programs will be coordinated through this new office so that someone will have an idea of all of the programs going on and will act as a central point so there will hopefully be a proper allocation of assets and if a parent or child is looking for information they can call just one place.
There will be an open school program this summer. With Hillhouse being one of them. There will be programs from children from ages 12 to 18. The details still have to be worked out with regard to times & programs. But when it is available I will let you know.
There was talk on what to do with the actual amendment – The committee can only continue if it is still tabled. But there is a feeling that it is time to vote on it and – as it reads now will probably fail. The hope is that by the crucial time of the Summer comes around we will have the programs and logistics in place to keep the kids active in a positive manner.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Committee of the Whole on Youth Protection Ordinance
Hi Everyone:
This evening at 6pm in the main Aldermaninc Chamber, there will be a Board of Aldermen meeting of the Committee of the Whole on Youth Protection Ordinance. This committee was the outcome the the proposed Youth Curfew. The motion for the Curfew was tabled.
The BOA doesn't want to lose the momentum that we started with the hearing process etc., therefore we meet on a regular basis to see what is being done to address some of issues raised at the hearings.
Tonight's agenda will cover:
Reports from City officials on:
This evening at 6pm in the main Aldermaninc Chamber, there will be a Board of Aldermen meeting of the Committee of the Whole on Youth Protection Ordinance. This committee was the outcome the the proposed Youth Curfew. The motion for the Curfew was tabled.
The BOA doesn't want to lose the momentum that we started with the hearing process etc., therefore we meet on a regular basis to see what is being done to address some of issues raised at the hearings.
Tonight's agenda will cover:
Reports from City officials on:
Data base of youth-serving agencies
Summer and fall 2007 Open Schools program
2007 Youth at Work program
Youth Engagement Street Workers program
Update on meetings with foundation and corporate funders
Black and Hispanic Caucus report on field trip to NYC youth agencies
Public Safety Committee report on subcommittee activities
Discussion of next steps on the proposed curfew
I hope to see you there!
(Cross posted on www.beaverhills.org)
Monday, March 12, 2007
Why there are numbers in the email you got from me
I had a constituent ask me why there is a number in the subject line in the email I sent out.
There is nothing to mysterious about it. ATT only lets me send out the same email to 25 address at one time. This is to stop people from sending spam off of their servers. I have a number of lists and if there is a problem with one of the address that I am sending I know what list to look at.
I plan on contacting ATT in the next few days to see if I can get an exemption from this.
There is nothing to mysterious about it. ATT only lets me send out the same email to 25 address at one time. This is to stop people from sending spam off of their servers. I have a number of lists and if there is a problem with one of the address that I am sending I know what list to look at.
I plan on contacting ATT in the next few days to see if I can get an exemption from this.
Trees & Sidewalks
Hi Everyone:
As you can see around the neighborhood many dead & dangerous trees are being taken down by the Parks & Recreation Department.
I am looking in to having them replaced with new trees. I plan to contact the city and see what we can do to replant some of our trees. Please note that we have no commitments from the city to replant the trees but I do plan on pursuing this - and I want to know what I am asking for prior to me asking.
I ask that you let me know either by posting a comment or by emailing me directly with the location of where trees need to be replanted (e.g. in front of 60 Colony Road or Moreland between Colony & Ellsworth 2 trees, etc).
Also while you are looking around let me know what sidewalks need replacing and I will see what we can do for those as well.
Just to be clear this is what I am trying to get replaced no promises have been made to me about funding for this – but if you don’t ask you don’t get!
(Cross posted at Beaverhills.org)
As you can see around the neighborhood many dead & dangerous trees are being taken down by the Parks & Recreation Department.
I am looking in to having them replaced with new trees. I plan to contact the city and see what we can do to replant some of our trees. Please note that we have no commitments from the city to replant the trees but I do plan on pursuing this - and I want to know what I am asking for prior to me asking.
I ask that you let me know either by posting a comment or by emailing me directly with the location of where trees need to be replanted (e.g. in front of 60 Colony Road or Moreland between Colony & Ellsworth 2 trees, etc).
Also while you are looking around let me know what sidewalks need replacing and I will see what we can do for those as well.
Just to be clear this is what I am trying to get replaced no promises have been made to me about funding for this – but if you don’t ask you don’t get!
(Cross posted at Beaverhills.org)
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Reassessment
On BeaverHills.org http://beaverhills.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=47 a neighbor posted a question about his reassessment. I posted the following reply.
The time has passed for the appeal but I do have some ideas on how to approach the entire reevaluation.
You can start by going to http://data.visionappraisal.com/NewHavenCT/DEFAULT.asp . Set up a user account for free. Login and find your house by typing in the street number and street name. See what Vision Appraisal has for the hard facts about you house:
· Is the listing for you house for square footage accurate?
· Are there more features listed then in reality?
· Are all the other listed facts & figures accurate?
If you can find a material error showing that they over assessed the property they will fix it.
Then go and look at some of your neighbors’ properties. Are they assessed higher or lower. Make sure that you are comparing apples to apples. If you house is 4,000 sq feet & your neighbor’s house is 2,000 sq feet you will most probably have a higher assessment. If most things are equal and you are substantially assessed higher then the rest of your block you may have a leg to stand on. Note that brick and stucco houses are usually assessed higher then wood clapboard houses.
If all the houses on the block look out of whack there may have been a single house that sold for a greater sum due to having special features (double lot, central air, etc.) You can see what the houses around you sold for by going to this web site, http://www.zillow.com/.
None of this is guaranteed to work but it may help. Please remember that the assessed value is 70% of the actual value. So if you house is valued at $100,000 the assessed value is $70,000 (that is what is listed on the Vision Appraisal site), if you can sell your house for at least 70% of what the assessed value is you will have a hard time getting a reduction.
Good Luck!
Yours in Service,
Moti Sandman
Alderman – Ward 28
The time has passed for the appeal but I do have some ideas on how to approach the entire reevaluation.
You can start by going to http://data.visionappraisal.com/NewHavenCT/DEFAULT.asp . Set up a user account for free. Login and find your house by typing in the street number and street name. See what Vision Appraisal has for the hard facts about you house:
· Is the listing for you house for square footage accurate?
· Are there more features listed then in reality?
· Are all the other listed facts & figures accurate?
If you can find a material error showing that they over assessed the property they will fix it.
Then go and look at some of your neighbors’ properties. Are they assessed higher or lower. Make sure that you are comparing apples to apples. If you house is 4,000 sq feet & your neighbor’s house is 2,000 sq feet you will most probably have a higher assessment. If most things are equal and you are substantially assessed higher then the rest of your block you may have a leg to stand on. Note that brick and stucco houses are usually assessed higher then wood clapboard houses.
If all the houses on the block look out of whack there may have been a single house that sold for a greater sum due to having special features (double lot, central air, etc.) You can see what the houses around you sold for by going to this web site, http://www.zillow.com/.
None of this is guaranteed to work but it may help. Please remember that the assessed value is 70% of the actual value. So if you house is valued at $100,000 the assessed value is $70,000 (that is what is listed on the Vision Appraisal site), if you can sell your house for at least 70% of what the assessed value is you will have a hard time getting a reduction.
Good Luck!
Yours in Service,
Moti Sandman
Alderman – Ward 28
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