Seniors Legislation

Senator Resor has long supported programs for seniors.  She is the sponsor of the yearly Senior Conference held this year on April 19th at the Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School in Marlborough.   

AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE AUTHORITY OF THE DISABLED PERSONS PROTECTION COMMISSION TO SEEK RESTRAINING ORDERS

This bill would authorize the Commission, the Department of Mental Retardation, the Department of Mental Health, and the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission to seek a restraining order against any person who interferes with the provision of protective services to a person with a disability who is a victim of abuse.  Currently, the Disable Persons Protection Commission (DPPC) is authorized to provide protective services to a person with a disability who is the victim of abuse.  It has been the experience of the DPPC that persons may often interfere with protection services or placements requested to a person with a disability.  In such instances it is critical to ensure that the victim remains safe, is not further abused, nor pressured to recant allegations.  This bill is supported by the Disabled Persons Protection Commission.

AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE SENIOR PROPERTY TAX CIRCUIT BREAKER LAW

This legislation would amend Section 80 of chapter 127 of the Acts of 1999 the “circuit breaker law” in the following ways:

• Reduces the age of qualified seniors from 65 to 60

• Changes the tax credit to 50% of the sum of the annual real estate tax plus the water and sewer charges paid in the tax year instead of the amount by which a taxpayer’s property taxes, together with the eligible amount of that taxpayer’s water and sewer charge exceed 10% of the taxpayer’s income
• The income limits shall be adjusted on an annual basis to reflect the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI)
• The Act shall take effect on January 1, 2007

AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE CITIES AND TOWNS OF MASSACHUSETTS TO AUTHORIZE REAL ESTATE TAX REBATES TO QUALIFIED PROPERTY OWNERS

This bill would authorize any city or town accepting this section to authorize an additional tax rebate to persons 65 or older who already qualify for the state “circuit breaker”.  The legislation would allow the cities and towns to match the state tax credit so that property owning individuals who have lived in their homes for ten years or more would be eligible for rebates not to exceed $750.00 annually.

AN ACT RELATIVE TO REDUCTION IN LOCAL PROPERTY TAX AND EXCISE TAX FOR CERTAIN DISABLED VETERANS OF WORLD WAR II AND THE KOREAN WAR

This bill would allow any town that approves the provisions to grant a reduction of up to 33 percent yearly in real estate taxes and/ or excise tax to honorably discharged veteran of World War II and the Korean War who are disabled by lung cancer, emphysema or other smoking related illness so as to afford such persons funds for health related expenses.  The rebate is not to be considered income for tax purposes.

AN ACT RELATIVE TO REAL ESTATE TAX PAYMENTS

This legislation would ease the burden of seniors who are required to pay their taxes on the first of the month yet do not receive their social security payment until the third or fourth day of the month.  The proposal adds two new sections, 57E and 57F to Chapter 59, which contain alternative provisions at local option.  This legislation would change the time of mailing and return for real estate and property taxes as well as rates of interested percentage of outstanding debt that can be applied to delinquent taxes.