Citizens that are elderly or permanently disabled will soon be feeling additional relief, after the Board of Supervisors voted to increase the net worth threshold for those eligible residents.
At its Tuesday, Dec. 5 meeting, the Supervisors voted to increase the qualifying net worth threshold by $100,000 to a total of $440,000. The increase will take place beginning Jan. 1.
State law allows for tax relief for those people whose annual income is not more than $72,000 and whose combined financial worth does not exceed $340,000. This year, the General Assembly approved an amendment to a state code, which allows the increase of the maximum qualifying net threshold for tax relief for the elderly or totally and permanently disabled by $200,000, to reach a maximum of $540,000.
SOME SUPERVISORS were concerned about increasing the tax relief for the elderly and permanently disabled in a year when they are expecting a constrained budget and supported sending the proposed increase to their budget deliberations. Other Supervisors said they wanted quicker relief for the county's elderly and disabled citizens.
"If we want this to be in effect for next year we have to make a decision today," Supervisor Jim Burton (I-Blue Ridge) said. "If we want to put it off until next year, we can put it off until the budget discussions."
Broad Run Supervisor Lori Waters (R) made the motion for the $100,000 increase, leaving the board the option to increase the allowed net worth by an additional $100,000 in 2008.
"What we are trying to do is strike a balance," Supervisor Bruce E. Tulloch (R-Potomac) said. "This is not a feel good thing for me; this is a responsible way to manage money, to phase it in."
AT THE SAME meeting, Supervisors voted to approve the Hall Road property rezoning located on the east side of Oakgrove Road (Route 824) and the south side of Hall Road (Route 788). After several weeks of delay the board approved the 4.25-acre rezoning, which will allow for the development of up to 42 townhouses.
Waters, who had been absent for the Nov. 21 business meeting, asked for reconsideration of two items from that meeting. The board approved Waters' proposal that the $5,030,000 identified as fund balance from the 2007 school's operating budget be held for the school's fiscal year 2008 budget. Supervisors also approved Waters' motion to direct staff to study the possibility of imposing transportation impact fees in the Transition Policy Area. The board also decided to expand the scope of the Financial Performance Audit Committee. Following a motion by Supervisor Mick Staton (R-Sugarland Run), the board voted to include a review of the school's proposed Capital Improvement Plan for fiscal year 2008 in with the audit of the county's performance standards.