After more than an hour of public comment and discussion by Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly members, the assembly on Tuesday voted down an ordinance to clarify the total amount of residential exemptions senior citizens can receive at its Tuesday meeting.
The ordinance, sponsored by Borough Mayor Mike Navarre and assembly members Bill Smith and Brent Johnson, would have added language to borough code to ensure senior tax exemptions do not exceed $300,000.
In 2007 voters approved a proposition to limit senior citizen residential exemption to $300,000. This past election voters increased optional residential exemption from $20,000 to $50,000 via an initiative.
Following the 2013 vote, the code states the first $50,000 of a residential property would be tax exempt, allowing seniors $350,000 total in tax exemption.
The ordinance would have revised the section to state it applies to the first $50,000 after all mandatory exemptions have been applied, capping the total senior tax exemptions at $300,000.
The borough heard from 11 members of the public about the ordinance. The majority opposed passage of the ordinance.
Soldotna resident Fred Sturman, one of the sponsors of the voting initiative to raise the residential exemption from $20,000 to $50,000, said he thought if you owned a home you got a $50,000 exemption in addition to other exemptions.
“If you owned a house, you got $50,000. If you (were) 10 years old or 150 years old, you got a $50,000 exemption,” he said.
George Pierce of Kasilof said the voters said yes to the $50,000 exemption and now assembly members are saying adding that to seniors $300,000 wasn’t the intent.
“Shame on all of you if you vote for (the ordinance),” he said to the assembly.
David Athons, of Kenai, was in favor of the ordinance. He said as a senior he thinks $300,000 is “pretty doggone generous.”
“I look at this as a fairness issue. To shift the tax burden to young folks, first-time homeowners, I just personally see it as a fairness issue,” he said.
Assembly member Johnson echoed Athons concern about the fairness of putting the tax burden on younger borough residents.
“We have young people growing up in this community that have to bear the tax burden then because other people aren’t bearing it,” he said.
Assembly member Bill Smith said the borough’s $300,000 tax exemption for seniors is the “best deal” in the state. He said although it became common practice to add the $20,000 exemption on top of the $300,000 senior exemption, he didn’t think that was the intent.
The ordinance was voted down with five assembly members against its approval. Assembly members Smith, Johnson, Hal Smalley and Mako Haggerty voted in favor of the ordinance.
With the failing of the ordinance, Navarre said the borough will look at its budget and consider the impact the exemption will have on services provided to residents.
