Council Hears Report on Disabled Property Owner Tax Freeze Ordinance

At Monday night's meeting of the Coventry Town Council, Town Manager Thomas Hoover presented his findings regarding the impact of a potential amendment to the Coventry Code of Ordinances with regard to disabled property owners' tax freeze.

The ordinance refers to the eligibility and termination of tax exemption in the Town of Coventry. At the Sept. 29, 2011 meeting, Council member Ted Jendzejec suggested that the criteria be changed from requiring both spouses on a deed to be over the age of 65 or disabled, to only one having to have met the requirement. The individual will still have to have been a five-year resident of the town (previously, five years in same residence was required) in order to qualify for tax exemption.

, following two months of discussion, the members voted 4-1 (with then District 2 representative Carl Mattson abstaining) to place a Sunset Clause on the updated ordinance for one year (expiring on or before June 30, 2013), so that the financial affects of the changes can be recorded. This information would allow the Council to either move forward with the amendment permanently or leave it as is.

Hoover explained on Monday that despite the concern of a surge in exemption applications, only 10 additional applications have been submitted since the clause was put into place.

"I didn't think that it would cause much of a change and all things considered, my prediction was right," he said. "I would recommend that the Council have me prepare an ordinance to make the amendment permanent."

The change will be open for public comment and a Council vote at the next meeting on Jan. 28 at 7 p.m.