BY
NICHOLAS BROWN
The Hooksett Town Council
is considering axing the asset
ceiling for elderly residents seeking
tax exemptions.
The move would violate state
statutes, and make Hooksett the
only town in the state without an
asset cap for seniors seeking tax
relief, said Hooksett Assessing
Coordinator Sandy Piper.
Councilor David Ross proposed
removing the $350,000
asset limitation – which the
council established earlier this
year – after receiving complaints
from constituents. From 2003
until this spring, there had been
no asset limits for residents 65
and older seeking tax relief.
At a Wednesday, Dec. 6, meeting,
Ross questioned the previous council’s decision to remove
the cap, though that decision
followed advice from the state
Department of Revenue Administration.
“More study needs to be
done,” said Ross. “I don’t think
there was enough foresight put
into it.”
Ross said the asset cap,
which doesn’t include the primary
residence and up to two
acres of land, may be driving
older residents with little or no
income out of Hooksett.
“They don’t have the option
of climbing the corporate ladder
any longer,” Ross said.
Piper said her department
simply can’t, based on state law,
remove the cap entirely.
Piper said her department
has already sent out 315 letters
to elderly residents who’ve
received exemptions. The letters
inform residents they must
reapply if they wish to receive
an exemption. Also included is
a form in which residents are
required to give the proper values
of their assets.
“Three hundred-fifteen letters
went out, and I’m sure not
all the 315 existing residents will
reapply,” said Piper.
Piper said her department
has gotten complaints from
elderly residents who’ve said the
in-person application process for
exemptions is too demanding.
But Piper said Hooksett’s
elderly have been getting it good
for years when it comes to tax
exemptions.
She said towns like Manchester,
Bow, Goffstown and
Bedford all have more stringent
qualifications for elderly tax
relief than does Hooksett.
“We are one of the best and
it still doesn’t satisfy people,” she
said. “If you want the exemption,
you do need to work for it some.”
She said tax relief for elderly
throughout the state is far from
a given right.
“Just because you’re 65, it’s
not an automatic,” she said.
Town Councilor Jason Hyde
said he doesn’t understand why
there’s any tax relief for the
elderly.
“The whole concept to me is
ridiculous,” he said. “It’s socialistic
and it’s out of the norm of
what should be happening.”
Under the current system,
elderly residents with a single
annual income of less than
$35,000, or a married income
of less than $50,000 can apply
for tax relief if they’re under the
$350,000 asset cap.
As an example, a 75-year-old
who doesn’t exceed the asset
and income caps, can be spared
paying taxes on $96,300 of their
property value. Under the current
tax rate, that person would
get $2,864 worth of tax relief
this year.
Some councilors said elderly
residents may be struggling with
the reapplication process, especially
when it comes to pricing
their assets.
Councilor Pat Rueppel said
some residents may be “fearful”
of completing the form incorrectly,
or of putting incorrect
values since “It says they will be
prosecuted for perjury.”
Resident Harold Murray told
the council the form asked him
“ridiculous” questions related to
valuing his assets.
As an example, he said, “I
have a boat that everybody thinks
is worth a million dollars. I think
it’s worth about 10 bucks.”
The council tabled the discussion,
until getting feedback
from the board of assessors.
That group, composed of five
town councilors, was scheduled
to meet after press time.