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Local Laws Amended for Historic Signage and Property Tax Exemptions for Disabled, Senior Property Owners
by Edward Paul Greiff
Three public hearings were held at the Putnam Valley Town Hall on Wednesday, March 14, 2007 to review proposed changes and amendments to Putnam Valley's Town Code regarding the placement and size of signage identifying historic structures, and the maximum allowable income levels and exemptions for disabled and senior property owners for the property tax year 2007 to 2008.
The Putnam Valley Town Board cited the following reasons for enacting a "Permission for Historic Signage" law: first, "The Town of Putnam Valley contains many historic structures which benefit the Town's character and quality of life." Second, "The Town's economy and character, and the public at large, would benefit further from prominent and recognizable signage to identify properties and buildings of historic significance in the Town."
Town Attorney David Gordon had previously explained that currently town law dictates that signs posted on trees for identification purposes can not be larger than two square feet. The new law will allow these signs to be three square feet in size to accommodate an attempt to identify the houses in town built prior to the 1900's. The signs would be placed on a tree near the house and in no way affect the building.
The second sentence of Paragraph 165-51C of the Code is amended to read as follows: "Mailbox signs identifying the house number and occupant of the lot and signs identifying historic properties are exempt from this regulation."
Another local law was passed to amend the Code of the Town of Putnam Valley, Chapter 108, Article 1, to increase and modify the income eligibility levels of persons eligible for partial exemptions from real property taxation who are sixty-five years of age or older.
The law provides a sliding scale exemption of property taxes payable to the Town based on income of the taxpayer. Starting at an annual income of $26,000 or less, senior taxpayers aged 65 or older would receive a 50% reduction in property taxes. The table provides a sliding scale up to a maximum combined income of $34,399.99 which would garner a 5% tax exemption.
The local law goes on to provide annual income and exemption percentage tables for future tax years. In each future year the annual allowable income increases by approximately $1,000 reaching a maximum income level of $37,999 in 2010-11 to qualify for the 5% tax break. In that year, the 50% tax reduction would be for income ranges of $28,999.99 and lower.
A similar law with similar annual income and percentage tables was enacted for those property owners who are disabled with limited incomes. Unlike persons sixty-five and over, persons with a disability must file an application for an exemption annually. However, if they have proof of permanent disability they need only file an application once in the year the disability was first determined to be permanent.
If you are eligible for either the senior or disability tax exemption it is recommended that you pick up a copy of the new tax exemption schedules at Town Hall.
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