Fund Established To Help Elderly, Disabled With Property Taxes

CHATHAM – As soon as October, homeowners may find something new on their property tax bills: a space allowing them to make a donation to a new fund to help low-income elderly and disabled residents pay their own property taxes.

 In May, town meeting voters accepted the state law that allows the town to set up a taxation aid fund to help folks who meet specific criteria to stay in their homes. 

 “This is a great way for us to start to hold members of our community a little closer to us,” Seth Taylor, who sponsored the town meeting article, told the select board July 22.

 Along with instructing Treasure-Collector Sharon Drown to establish the fund, the select board voted to establish a taxation aid committee to oversee the money and recommend disbursements. The committee will include the chair of the board of assessors, the town’s treasurer and three residents appointed by the select board.

 Several other Cape towns, including Wellfleet and Eastham, have adopted Chapter 60, Section 3D of Massachusetts General Laws as a way to establish a fund to help low-income elderly and disabled residents pay ever-increasing property taxes. 

 Taylor initially submitted a petition article to town meeting seeking money to help an elderly neighbor pay her back property taxes, which voters rejected. But voters backed the petition Taylor submitted to accept the state law and establish a fund to help people like his neighbor.

 Once the committee is established, it will develop rules and regulations governing its operation and how the money will be distributed, likely based on those in place in other towns. The select board has the final say over the regulations.

 At least initially, taxpayers who want to contribute to the fund will have to make out a separate check rather than include it with their property tax payment. The town’s current financial software system cannot accommodate split payments, Drown said.

 “Our system does not provide for that,” she said. The town is in the process of moving to a new financial software system that may allow submission of a single payment for both taxes and a donation to the tax aid fund, said Town Manager Jill Goldsmith, but that is “a couple of years away.” 

 The donation option should appear on the first half tax bills to be issued in October, Drown said. It will cost $300 to revise the bills to include the option. Chair Dean Nicastro noted that donations can be made to the fund at any time, not just with property tax payments. “It’s sort of a public version of a Go Fund Me program,” he said.

 “We’re on the right road,” Taylor said. “I think this is a great first start for us to address something that has sort of not been seen by us. I really wonder how many senior citizens that are from historic families and long-term residents of the town we have lost to predatory practices when they fell into tax arrears.” Prior to town meeting, Taylor said that his neighbor’s tax liability had ballooned to more than $60,000 due to high interest rates imposed by the town.

 Taylor thanked Drown for her work.

 “I think this is something that anybody in town should look at and say we should get this done,” he said. He deflected Nicastro’s praise for his bringing the matter to the attention of the town. 

“I was the guy that saw that and asked the question, ‘Why is this happening?’” Taylor said.

 Taylor said he has applied to be a member of the taxation aid committee, and the select board is seeking other volunteers, especially those with a background in finance, human services, community engagement and “a strong desire to assist neighbors in need,” according to a press release. Interested residents can submit a talent bank application, available on the town’s website, by Aug. 15. Board members said they hope to make the appointments by early September.

 “Let’s get the ball rolling,” said Cory Metters.