ORDER-2018-42 : Acceptance of MGL Chapter 60, Section 3D, creating an elderly and disabled tax relief fund for the purpose of defraying the real estate taxes of elderly and disabled person of low income.

Transcript (~6 min @ 1:03:31)

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▶ 1:03:29 Jennifer L. Lemmerman: Order will also be recommended for pass. Thank you for me. Thank you.

▶ 1:03:35 Jennifer L. Lemmerman: The final item on our agenda this evening is order number 2018 dash 42 acceptance of mass general law chapter 60 section 3 D creating an elderly and disabled tax relief fund for the purpose of defraying the real estate taxes of elderly and disabled persons of low income this was offered by Alderman Wright thank you madam chair the state

▶ 1:04:01 Francis X. Wright Jr.: legislature has allowed us to accept this statute and I believe it's certainly it's not a panacea but what it will allow us to do is to create a fund that will be dedicated to allowing a committee established by statute which would include include the chairman of the Board of Assessors the treasurer and three residents to ultimately assist low-income elderly residents and disabled residents of the city to defray their real estate tax bills the funds

▶ 1:04:54 Francis X. Wright Jr.: that will be be collected will be voluntarily donated to this to this purpose and that ultimately the committee will create rules and that will establish exactly how people will qualify and how those funds will be distributed I don't anticipate that this is something that will be a fund that we can look to in the next year or two or maybe even in five years from now but it's a starting point we're planting a seed it's an opportunity to help those people in our community who may be of low income who may be facing some challenging life circumstances whether due to their situations they face due to their age or disability and as a result it would be an opportunity for those in our community who wish to to give something back to those around us to contribute and ultimately see their their contributions go to their neighbors in need so with that in mind I have asked this board to accept the

▶ 1:06:19 Francis X. Wright Jr.: statute and allow this fund to be created thank you and we do have a memo from the city solicitor which had been forwarded to myself along I believe with yourself madam chair and the clerk of committees which inadvertently was not included in the packet until later today is there if I may I guess I could read that for those who haven't haven't had an opportunity to see it it's addressed to me it says you have asked for an opinion relative to the proposed acceptance of general laws chapter 60 section 3d which authorizes the creation of an elderly and disabled taxation fund specifically you are requesting information as to how funds will be collected and what process will be utilized in determining the disbursement upon its acceptance the general laws chapter 60 section 3d allows the municipality to provide for a checkoff box on either its municipal tax or its excise tax bills for taxpayers wishing to donate to an aid to the elderly and disabled taxation fund the purpose of this fund is to defray the real estate taxes of elderly and disabled persons of low-income in addition the statute requires the creation of a taxation aid committee consisting of the chairman of the Board of Assessors city treasurer and three residents appointed by the mayor whose sole purpose is to establish the rules and regulations intended to carry out the provisions of that statute following internal discussions I can inform you that the funds will be collected via a an inclusion on of a checkoff box on the city's excise tax bills as you are likely aware the city's excise tax bills currently contain donation check off boxes for other causes the city treasurer will be responsible for investing such funds in accordance with the clear language of the statute although the system for collecting funds will occur immediately upon acceptance of this statute please note the city's financial team anticipates it may take several years for the fund to become a viable vehicle for which to make disbursements with respect to the process for dispersing said funds the statute requires the Taxation Aid Committee to establish rules and regulations in order to carry out its purpose upon acceptance of the statute I suspect the committee will quickly work to adopt the said rules and regulations in order to ensure a fair and transparent process for dispersing said funds in future years to qualifying taxpayers if you could if you if we can answer any further questions please do not hesitate to reach out and that's from the city solicitor so with that said I would move for passage of this

▶ 1:08:59 Jennifer L. Lemmerman: second move for recommendation of this order just very quickly I just wanted to

▶ 1:09:08 Michael P. Zwirko: thank Alderman Wright for bringing this before us I think it's great it falls in the common-sense category of why not so thank you for this I appreciate that

▶ 1:09:18 Jennifer L. Lemmerman: Alderman Wright all those in favor of recommending for passage this order will