{"id":174,"date":"2010-02-03T05:44:00","date_gmt":"2010-02-03T05:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/terragrafix.com\/blog\/?p=174"},"modified":"2010-02-03T05:44:00","modified_gmt":"2010-02-03T05:44:00","slug":"senior-citizens-forced-to-re-apply-annually-for-tax-exemption-in-violation-of-city-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.thesecretnewsonline.com\/?p=174","title":{"rendered":"Senior Citizens Forced to Re-apply Annually for Tax Exemption, in Violation of City Law"},"content":{"rendered":"

To Boot: Annual Reminder Letters Supposed to Go Out, But Seniors Say They Never Received Them<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

By Shirley Enomoto<\/p>\n

Call it the Benjamin Button effect. Emeryville’s School Board is forcing senior citizens<\/span> to prove they are not getting any younger—every year.<\/p>\n

Measure A, the Emeryville school parcel tax, was passed by the voters in 2003. In 2007, it was extended another 10 years to July, 2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The text of the measure reads:
“(iii) an exemption from the special tax will be made available to each property owner in the District who will attain the age of 65 years prior to July 1 of the assessment year, who owns a beneficial interest in the parcel, who uses that parcel as his or her principle place of residence and who applies to the District on or before July 1, 2007, or July 1 of any succeeding assessment year. Any one application from a qualified applicant will provide an exemption for the parcel for the remaining term of the assessment so long as such applicant continues to use the parcel as his or her principle residence. Senior exemptions granted during the term of the current special assessment will continue. In addition, should state law ever permit, there shall be an extension for property exclusively rented or leased to those age 65 years and older.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The application for a waiver is available through the office of the Superintendent of Schools, John Sugiyama, at 4727 San Pablo Avenue, Emeryville, 94608.<\/p>\n

A letter of explanation from NBS, a consulting firm in Temecula, CA, states:
“this exemption must be renewed by application each year and must be received at the Emery Unified School District offices by noon on July 1, 2009, to be eligible for the exemption. Please note that this exemption must be requested and renewed each year.”<\/p>\n

Mr. Sugiyama says that this letter is sent to all property taxpayers every year, ever since the the passage of Measure A. But the requirement that an application for the exemption must be filed every year following the age of 65 is in direct conflict with the text of the ballot measure.<\/p><\/div>\n

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While I have always supported the school parcel tax, and in fact, have volunteered at the Anna Yates library for four years and annually raise money from family and friends to purchase books and magazines for the library, I feel that this is a devious manner of collecting taxes. I have lived in Emeryville for 13 years and have never received this letter from NBS, nor has anyone else I’ve asked.<\/div>\n
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Since this reduction in school parcel taxes directly affects Emeryville’s schools, please do all you can to support the schools and by volunteering.<\/div>\n
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Shirley Enomoto moved to Emeryville 13 years ago, just before the real estate boom, and is now retired. She has seen various buildings demolished to make room for high rises. She has seen how the City appears to give preferential treatment to hotels and commercial developers, while holding small businesses to strict standards over minor issues like signage. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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