Some months ago the Board of Selectman formed a committee to study different forms of senior tax relief. The committee’s charge was to investigate existing and new potential programs, including a tax freeze, for easing the property tax burden for Madison’s seniors with the most need. The committee sought to balance the needs of Madison’s seniors while seeking fiscal responsibility to the remaining residents of the town.

Currently Madison has two forms of senior tax relief programs: local tax abatement and tax deferral. In basic terms, the local abatement program provides an annual amount of $490 to $1,269 of tax relief based on income levels. The deferral program allows income-qualified seniors to defer up to $8,000 of their property taxes each year, with the town collecting the deferred taxes, plus a small amount of interest, after the senior or senior’s estate sells the home.

Neither existing program addresses the issue of variable taxes on a fixed-income population. A tax freeze would address shortfalls that exist in both the tax abatement and deferral programs and will allow for income qualified seniors to age in place in a town to which they contributed for so many years. The committee’s final report is comprehensive, and uses the most current fact-based modeling.

On Wednesday, June 8 at 7 p.m., the Board of Finance will vote on recommending a senior tax freeze and passing it on to town meeting. I encourage your readers to review the Tax Relief Committee’s report and meeting minutes, which can be found on www.madisonct.org by searching for “Senior Tax Relief Committee.” It’s vital that all Madison residents become informed and ask questions about town programs that could benefit themselves, family members, and neighbors. I urge everyone to attend the June 8 meeting and express their views and opinions.

Austin Hall, Director

Madison Senior Services