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Tax break for seniors tabled for more study

By J. FRANK LYNCH
jflynch@theCitizenNews.com

A proposal to provide an extra homestead tax exemption to low-income senior citizens living in Peachtree City was met with unexpected opposition in a Tuesday night City Council meeting and was tabled for further review.

More than a dozen seniors, many of them members of the city’s Senior Council, turned out to voice support for the plan to provide tax relief to those over 65 who earn less than $30,000 a year, not counting social security benefits.

But Councilman Stuart Kourajian was cool to the idea, especially since city officials couldn’t say for certain how much of an impact the exemptions would have on city coffers.

City staff had estimated the budget impact could go as high as $40,000 a year, but City Manager Bernie McMullen acknowledged, “No one really knows.”

“So we really have no idea what the impact is going to be,” Kourajian said.

Councilman Steve Rapson, who works as budget direct for Fulton County and deals with tax and revenue all the time, said his own estimations put the actual impact at no more than $6,000 or $7,000 based on the number of seniors in the city and those who’d qualify for the exemption.

Kourajian, a banker, fired back that in his job, he deals with hard figures, not estimates.

Councilman Murray Weed then entered the fray, declaring that as attorney for the city of Hapeville, his job requires him to be the one who finds compromise.

“What will it take you to support this?” Weed asked.

Kourajian replied, “I don’t know. I want to see something tangible, what it will cost or the impact on the city.”

Asked Weed, “Are you just looking for a reason not to vote for this?”

Kourajian assured him he was not, and then Weed asked, “How long do you need?”

“Next meeting,” replied Kourajian.

“Great,” said Weed. “That’s good enough for me.”

Granting an exemption for seniors will require passage in the state Legislature. Tuesday’s action by the city council was to consider approval of a resolution asking the local delegation to support the cause.

“All we can do is pass the resolution,” Weed said. “If we don’t have a 5-0 vote to support this the legislature will use that as an excuse not to approve it.”

The council instead voted 5-0 to table it until the next meeting, when more hardcore figures should be available.