Taxes Main Reason for Seniors Leaving Wilton, Survey Finds

Last year, the Board of Selectmen teamed up with the National Executive Service to to figure out why Wiltonian senior citizens move out of town. The survey, which began in January 2011 and drew 1,152 responses, was presented a last night’s May 16 Board of Selectmen meeting at Town Hall.

The main reason: seniors felt that taxes are too high, and that while the cost of living goes up, the quality of living goes down.

 Most of those who responded were 55-65 years-old, retired, married, and long-term Wiltonians: over 60 percent of those 66 years of age and older lived in town for over 30 years, while many others have lived here for over 20 years. About half of the respondents were older than 65.

 “If in fact seniors picked up and left here, it would have an impact on the social and cultural fabric of the town,” said Bill Webber, a Project Manager for the National Executive Service, who saw an increase in the tax burden for all those who remain in town if that happens.

 Sixty-six percent of those surveyed said that the cost of living—including taxes from the —was unmanageable, while 33 percent were more concerned with quality of life, and wanted more age-affordable housing, better transportation options and an overall increase from the town government in general senior needs, according to Webber’s presentation.

 Over 30 percent of those polled said they had been thinking of their retirement for 15 years or more, and over half of  that 30 percent expected their retirement income to be insufficient to live in Wilton, according to the survey report.

 The median income for those surveyed was about $140,000 a year. The median income that includes all Wiltonians is about $182,000-$183,000, said Webber. A third of those polled pay $10,000-$14,000 in property taxes each year.

 Eighty-four percent of those surveyed were “very concerned” with tax levels, according to the report.

 Webber believed that the survey “pretty reasonably represents the entire senior population here in town.” Thirty-seven percent of 3,132 households with at least one senior citizen polled, responded.

 While it seems that those polled thought Wilton’s government did not do enough to assist them, seniors seemingly eschewed those programs available.

 The report states only 11 percent of seniors surveyed have participated in the Senior Services Program; likewise, only 20 percent have participated in the Senior Activities Program. Only one percent said that they used the Dial-a-Ride program, which serves about 150 seniors and disabled residents.

 However, “the Visiting Nurse and Hospice program is popular,” said Webber.

 Mainly, the board will be struggling with finding a multiple-approach solution to the senior flight. Of the 150 seniors who said they planned to move out of town but stay within Connecticut, 90 said they would live within Fairfield County and Norwalk, according to the report.

“,” said First Selectman William Brennan, citing Darien and Ridgefield as towns with similar difficulties in retaining senior citizens.

 “In my humble opinion, it will take a number of things to [fix] the situation,” he said.

 “We’re sharing this information with other towns and trying to figure out what we can do,” said Brennan.

 Facing some questions from the audience, board members defended their position of not acting sooner—that is, before the survey had been completed—citing that they needed more information to construct a comprehensive plan of solution.

 The full results of the survey are available on the town’s website.