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ORDINANCE
COMMITTEE MINUTES
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Any request for minutes prior to August 15, 2006
may be made directly to the Law Department
203-854-7750 |
CITY OF NORWALK
ORDINANCE COMMITTEE
PUBLIC HEARING
FEBRUARY 19, 2008
ATTENDANCE: Amanda Brown, Chair; Carvin Hilliard, William Krummel,
Andrew Conroy, Fred Bondi
STAFF: Linda Guliuzza, Assistant Corporation Counsel
OTHERS: Walter Briggs, Robert Price, James R. Whitfield, Jr.,
Diane Cece; Laurel Lindstrom (8:12 p.m.)
CALL TO ORDER
Ms. Brown called the meeting to order at 7:45 p.m.
PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED SENIOR TAX CREDIT.
Tax Relief for the Elderly and Disabled Homeowners Ordinance
Ms. Brown called the public hearing to order and called the roll. There were five Committee members present.
Mr. Briggs came forward and stated that he lived in Rowayton. He said that he was present to speak on behalf of raising the minimum for the senior citizens and the disabled. He pointed out that the value of the residents houses have been increasing and the taxes along with it. Mr. Briggs said that he did not think it was right to have property taxes forcing senior citizens out of their homes. He suggested that the Commission consider possibly allowing the seniors to attach their taxes to their homes because many of them have 100% equity in the property. The taxes would then be paid when the property was sold.
Mr. Robert Price of 3 Woodchuck Lane came forward and said that many of those who were elderly were living on fixed income. He said that there was a possibility that the Committee could change the amount they would pay on their homes. He said that this would be very helpful to those on fixed income.
Mr. James R. Whitfield, Jr., 212 Richards Avenue came forward and asked why the amount that the City was only giving the elderly $200, while the State apparently allows over $1,000. He pointed out that he had been living in Norwalk since 1965 and was not married and did not have children. He pointed out that last year, he paid over $9,000 in taxes and more than 50% of that amount went to the school system. He then asked what this solution was doing for those seniors who owned homes and had delinquent taxes. He said that just giving $200 per property owner did not appear to help them very much. He said that he did not understand what the problem was.
Mr. Bondi said that he was the one who proposed the amount of $200 because the number of people who were on the program right now would receive help. Unfortunately, this is Fairfield County. Mr. Bondi then acknowledged that 54% of the tax bills goes to the Norwalk School System, the remainder of the money goes to the City for DPW, Parks and Recreation, and the various other departments. Mr. Bondi said that there is a program that is similar to a reverse mortgage for elderly tax payers.
Ms. Brown said that there are currently 944 seniors eligible for the program. She then gave the full amounts involved for the program. This will also mean that the non-eligible taxpayer will be paying an additional $4.12 in taxes to offset this tax relief. Ms. Brown said that it may not be all that the Council can do right now, but it is a start. Regarding the benefits from the tax money, Ms. Brown pointed out that there are thousands of students who receive the benefits of the tax funds. There are multiple other services, such as garbage collection, sewage, and other services that the taxes go to.
Mr. Hilliard said that he felt that Mr. Whitfield raised several interesting points about the seniors. Mr. Hilliard said that he felt that these issues need to be explored.
Ms. Brown then asked if there was anyone else present who wished to speak to the Committee.
Ms. Diane Cece, of 37 Olmstead Place, came forward and said that that City should be doing zero based budgeting. She said that there are two ways to make up shortfalls, one by cutting spending and the other by increasing taxes. She said that she would support the maximum increase under the laws and cutting spending to make it up.
Ms. Brown then asked again if there was anyone who wished to address the Committee at this time. Hearing none, she said that she would entertain a motion to close the public hearing portion of the Committee meeting.
** MR. BONDI MOVED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
The public hearing closed at 8:09 p.m.
ACCEPTANCE OF THE MINUTES
January 15, 2008
** MR. BONDI MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF DECEMBER 18, 2007 AS SUBMITTED.
** THE MOTION PASSED WITH THREE IN FAVOR (BONDI, BROWN AND CONROY) AND TWO ABSTENSIONS
(KRUMMEL AND HILLIARD).
OLD BUSINESS
Elderly and Disabled Tax Relief Program
** MR. BONDI MOVED TO FORWARD THE ELDERLY AND DISABILED TAX RELIEF PROGRAM TO THE COUNCIL.
Mr. Krummel said that he had reviewed the ordinances and the State Statutes. He stated that he was confused with the figures relating to Tier 1 and Tier 2. He then asked what was limiting the City to the amount stated. He added that there was a matter of state reimbursement. He then asked Ms. Brown if she could answer this question. Ms. Brown said that she did not know, but that Mr. Hamilton would be able to answer the question. Mr. Krummel said that he would like to know how the State would reimburse the City. Mr. Conroy said that there was a separate State property tax program, and that most of those who were eligible for the City program, would be eligible for the State program. Ms. Brown said that she believed that there were two different programs, but Mr. Krummel disagreed. Ms. Brown said that she would have the additional information sent to Mr. Krummel.
Mr. Krummel said that he did not understand the last paragraph of the amendment about the maximum credits and how it would change the calculations. Atty. Guliuzza then reviewed the details of the calculations. Mr. Krummel said that he did not understand the recalculation procedure. Atty. Guliuzza then reviewed this process with him.
Ms. Lindstrom asked if this resolution would be for the next fiscal year. Mr. Bondi said that it would be and pointed out that this was a time sensitive issue. Mr. Krummel said that this has to be done in an odd year before April 15th. Atty. Guliuzza said that the Tax Assessor’s office had informed her that they accept applications on a yearly basis. Once an applicant is approved the resident must reapply every odd year. Mr. Krummel said that the City should correct this and make all the applicants apply every year. Ms. Brown said that she wished to look into this. Mr. Krummel said that the Committee could add a request to change the ordinance. Ms. Brown said that technically the staff is not following the ordinances but she wished to consult with the staff before changing the staff. She said that she would speak with the staff. Otherwise, she would prefer to send this resolution to the council.
**MR. KRUMMEL MOVED FOR A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO REVIEW THE TIMING REGARDING
APPLICATION ACCEPTANCE SO THAT IT IS CHANGED FROM ACCEPTANCE ONLY DURING THE
ODD YEARS TO ANNUAL ACCEPTANCE, BARING ANY UNFORSEEN COMPLICANTIONS TO THIS.
** THE MOTION PASSED AS AMENDED WITH FOUR IN FAVOR (BONDI, BROWN, CONROY AND
KRUMMEL) AND ONE ABSTENSION (HILLIARD).
Mr. Krummel asked why New Business was not included on the agenda. Ms. Brown said that the last time this was discussed, there were three items on the agenda and that the Committee had not been able to move any of them forward. She said that she had thought the Public Hearing would take up more time.
ADJOURNMENT
** MR. BONDI MOVED TO ADJOURN.
Ms. Lindstrom said that she would like to introduce a new item to the agenda. Ms. Brown requested that she send a letter or email to her with the item and it would be added to the next agenda.
Mr. Krummel then asked about an item regarding the tabling of a contractor ordinance. Ms. Brown repeated that at the last meeting, she had brought up three issues, but hardly anything had been done. She said that as Chair, she had decided that the Committee could only deal with one issue at a time complete it. Mr. Krummel said that he wanted a schedule of the order in which the items would be handled.
Ms. Brown said that she had a schedule and a list of the various issues, but that it changed whenever an issue changed. She also pointed out that there were many times when an issue was on the agenda and that she would send out the information in advance. If the committee had detailed questions regarding an issue, they could email her so that she could contact the appropriate staff member and get the information needed. Mr. Krummel said that he had not reviewed the State Statutes until earlier in the day. Ms. Brown replied that she had no way of anticipating the detailed questions that Mr. Krummel had asked and that Mr. Hamilton was not able to attend the meeting. However, Ms. Brown stated that she would speak with Mr. Hamilton and that she would get the answers to Mr. Krummel. She added that Mr. Krummel could also speak directly to Mr. Hamilton about this issue.
Mr. Whitfield came forward and said that he had several questions about a document that he had been given earlier in the day at the Tax Assessor’s Office. Ms. Brown told him that she would be happy to review it with him after the meeting concluded.
** THE MOTION TO ADJOURN PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
The meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Sharon L. Soltes
Telesco Secretarial Services
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