Boston City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune is proposing a new rule that would gradually increase the income cutoff to be eligible for Boston’s senior property tax exemption.
Right now, single senior property owners 65 or older who have been living in Massachusetts for the last decade owning property for at least half the time and who have a gross income of less than $25,980 can qualify for what’s known as the 41C elderly exemption. It offers up to $1,000 in tax relief.
Louijuene’s proposal would make more seniors eligible for the exemption by increasing the income cutoff at the rate of inflation, as determined by the Consumer Price Index and the state Commissioner of Revenue. She planned to file the measure at Wednesday’s city council meeting.
“We know that our seniors right now are facing really expensive costs and we have been trying to do what we can on the Boston City Council to lessen the burden,” she said pointing to Mayor Michelle Wu’s proposed property tax shift, which has so far failed to gain approval from the state legislature. “But there’s action that we can take here on the Boston City Council to make life a little bit easier for our seniors who qualify.”
The proposal comes as the city approaches a budget season with predictions of a nearly $50 million deficit brought on by snow removal, healthcare and public safety costs. Mayor Michelle Wu is set to debut the first budget of her second term next week.
Louijuene said she has not discussed the proposal with mayor, nor has she conducted a full analysis to know how deeply it could potentially reduce Boston’s tax levy.
However, she said she has had preliminary conversations with Boston Assessing Commissioern Nicholas Ariniello.
“The city does not seem to believe that there will be such a significant impact that it should prohibit us from moving forward,” Louijuene said. She added that the budget deficit predicted for next year does not change her plans to advocate for the change.
“It’s going to be important for us to look at the numbers,” she said. “It’s not going to destabilize our tax collection at all, [but] it will have a real benefit for the seniors who will now qualify for the tax break because $1,000 a year off their bill is substantial.”
The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to request for comment on the proposal.
