Letter: Danbury Mayoral Candidate Alves On Supporting Seniors

Letter to the Editor:

When It Comes to Supporting Our Seniors: Danbury Can Do Better

In Danbury, growing old can be an expensive privilege. Aging typically requires support, services, and housing that can overburden all but the wealthiest seniors. More than 12,000 Danbury residents are over 65, making up 14% of the city’s population, and many of them struggle to meet their needs. It’s not right to let down those who paved the way for us.

If we expand local benefits it will make a real difference. Right now, Danbury’s senior tax benefit program is broken into two brackets: single income up to $44,100, eligible for a $450 benefit, and married income up to $51,600, eligible for a $600 benefit.

As Mayor, I’ll fight to expand the existing tiers and add a second tier of benefits to ease the burden on seniors. By expanding the single income bracket to $49,000, the married bracket to $55,000, and by adding a second bracket that includes single income up to $57,500 and married up to $62,500, we can make a big difference in the lives of more Danbury seniors.

We should also expand the SAVE (senior added value experience) program to give seniors who volunteer with a city department or non-profit agency up to 50 hours a year a $400 tax credit while granting those who volunteer 100 or more hours an $800 credit.

Additionally, seniors are burdened due to a lack of reliable, affordable transportation. We need to work with HART to create efficiencies and increase service. By dedicating a 7-day local shuttle service, we can also enable our neighbors so they can get groceries, prescriptions, or attend events independently.

If we don’t step up we won’t be able to serve the needs of our most vulnerable population. As Mayor, I’ll make sure that our city sufficiently supports our seniors.

— Councilman Roberto Alves, Democratic Candidate for Mayor