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County May Revisit Larger Tax Break For Seniors

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By Jim  Konkoly | Highlands Today

Published: February 13, 2008

SEBRING – The persistence of one man looks like it will pay off in an additional tax break for Highlands County's 1,500 low-income, senior-citizen homeowners.

Frank Parker got the proverbial cold shoulder from the Highlands County Commission in November when he asked commissioners to raise the "Save Our Seniors" homesteaded tax exemption from $5,000 to $50,000 for seniors meeting federal household low-income thresholds.

But when Parker talked about the desperate need for a bigger tax break for low-income seniors again at Tuesday's commission meeting, he elicited promises by two commissioners to seriously consider it.

"Save Our Seniors" is a Florida constitutional amendment passed nine years ago, which allows counties to grant an additional home exemption, up to $50,000 per year, to low-income seniors who have a homestead home.

Four out of five Florida counties set that tax break at the maximum $25,000 nine years ago when Florida voters approved it. Highlands County set this tax break at only $5,000 back then and has not raised it since.

A year ago, the state Legislature, in accordance with the provisions of "Save Our Seniors," raised the maximum exemption counties can give to senior homeowners to $50,000, to adjust for nine years of inflation.

Second Time's The Charm

Despite several requests for Highlands County to move this tax break up from $5,000, the commissioners had not seriously considered a change. But that changed Tuesday when Parker made another plea for commissioners to raise it to at least $25,000 because, he said, many low-income senior homeowners in Highlands County desperately need help.

Their pensions don't go up with inflation, which means they are losing 4 percent of their money each year, he said. And, unlike working people, low-income seniors cannot find decent jobs to help pay their bills, he said.

"One couple, 83 and 84 years old, is working part-time just to pay their bills," Parker said.
He also said that Highlands County provides no services to seniors and spends no money on senior citizens, even though they make up one out of every three people in the county.

By contrast, Parker said, the federal government spends 33 percent of its budget on services for senior citizens.

"I'm urging you people," Parker told the commissioners, "something's got to be done."

Commissioners To Get Financial Facts

Chances appear good that something will be done.

"We need to look into it," Commissioner Guy Maxcy said about raising this special tax break. He said commissioners should act as soon as they get definite numbers on how much tax revenue will be lost by helping low-income senior homeowners.

Commissioner Don Bates ordered county budget staff to estimate how much revenue will be lost if the county increases this break upward from $5,000 in $5,000 increments. Thus, he wants the cost if the commissioners raise the exemption to $10,000, $15,000, $20,000, $25,000, $30,000 and on up.

County Administrator Carl Cool said he opposes any additional tax break to low-income seniors, because they are already getting statewide tax breaks given to all homeowners, while the county's costs keep going up.

Parker responded by saying Cool was comparing "apples and oranges."

Low-income seniors are in a particularly vulnerable position because they, unlike other homeowners, can't go out and earn more money, Parker said.

Parker said the low-income, senior-citizen homeowner tax break now goes to 1,501 households in Highlands County, according to the property appraiser's office. The $5,000 tax exemption only gives low-income seniors a tax break of $34 per year, he said.

Commissioners agreed to consider raising this tax break when their budget staff gives them the estiomated cost in lost tax revenue.

Yes On One Director, No Vote On Another

In other business, the commissioners:
- Approved the hiring of Mandy Hines as the new housing director to replace Penny Phillippi, who left to take a job in Collier County;

- Postponed for a week a vote on the recommended hiring of June Fisher as the first division director over community services because Commissioner Barbara Stewart complained that she, unlike the other four commissioners, did not get a chance to interview Fisher on Monday during breaks and lunch at the commissioners "visioning" meeting in Lorida.

Commissioner Andy Jackson won unanimous support to delay the vote on Fisher for one week as "a courtesy to another commissioner (Stewart;)"

- Learned that the city of Sebring will not go forward with an inter-local agreement with the county to accept the troubled Thunderbird Hills sewer system; commissioners then called for studies on all options, and their costs, to take ownership of this sewer system away from the current owner;

- Hired the consulting firm of RWA to help develop the county's first rural planning policies, which will include the goals, policies and comp plan amendments for a Rural Land Stewardship development; and

- Tentatively decided on guidelines for how commissioners will vote on hiring two division directors and the new county administrator.

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