House Bill 1917

AN ACT TO FREEZE THE APPRAISED VALUE OF THE PERMANENT RESIDENCE OF CERTAIN SENIORS AND TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION TO PERMIT A LIMITATION ON THE INCREASE IN THE APPRAISED VALUE OF CERTAIN RESIDENCES

My understanding is the General Assembly is considering putting forth a referendum asking the voter to amend the Constitution to authorize the General Assembly to limit the growth in the assessed value of a permanent residence owned and occupied by a qualifying owner.

The senior would qualify by being the age of 70, being a NC resident and own the home the senior occupies for at least five years. Barring there are no changes in the property, the property value would remain the same. If there is change, such as property changing hands, then the property would be re-evaluated at true market value”. Temporary periods of illness would not count.

Changing our constitution to permit limits on increases for property values is unheard of especially when bill 1917 is poorly written. It is nothing more than a bunch of words strung together claiming to benefit seniors just in time for re-election. Most seniors have given up on help by the time they turn seventy. They are now busy trying to find monies to pay taxes when they should enjoy the fruits of their labor. Isn’t it amazing how one state can skirt issues to keep from doing anything to help?

Once again, NC is NOT friendly to seniors; bill #1917 proves that theory. If we look at our neighboring state of SC, you can see a big difference in the way seniors are treated. By the time seniors there are 70 years old, they have aged out of paying property taxes.

This bill is wrongly titled and misleading. We certainly don't need a constitutional amendment for the general assembly to understand that runaway price increases has generated the problem with the COLAS. All we have to do is increase the cap on the current law and the COLAS will have a better chance at keeping up with today's market.

Take the senior clauses out of this bill and then maybe you have a right to a referendum for the non-profits to enjoy. It does not help the senior at all. Seniors don't like appeasements, they like results that will help them at a time when it is truly needed and accepted.

Please do not ignore the seniors this year in your legislative process, plan B may be our next option and that option would NOT be a referendum.

Representatives Mobley, Jones, Bordsen, Farmer-Butterfield, Current, Lewis and Saunders authored this bill and deserve a phone call from seniors stating what they think about the help that our state is NOT giving us. Us, being the major tax paying and voting base of North Carolina Seniors.

Sincerely,

Shirley Wiggins,

Special Legislative Action Committee Chairperson
The North Carolina Senior Democrats