Agenda - 08-17-1999 - 8l - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: August 17, 1999 Action Agenda Item No. g_Y SUBJECT: Late Applications for Property Homestead Exemption DEPARTMENT: Assessor's Office PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: John Smith, ext 2101 Exempt Status Resolution TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To consider untimely applications for granting homestead exemptions for the 1999 tax year. BACKGROUND: General Statute 105-277.1 and 105-282.1(a)(5) Action of Governing Body - Mr. August Reinhardt filed an application for the homestead exemption on June 6, 1999 and Mrs. Eleanor Matthews applied on August 5, 1999. G.S. 105-277.1 excludes from property taxes the first $20,000 in assessed value of certain property owned by N.C. residents aged 65 or older or totally and permanently disabled whose disposable income does not exceed $15,000. This exclusion covers real property or mobile homes occupied by the owner as his or her permanent residence. Although N. C. General Statutes states that applications for exemption must be filed prior to April 15`h, G.S. 105-282.1(a)(5) does allow some discretion. Upon a showing of good cause by the applicant for failure to make a timely application, an application for exemption or exclusion filed after the close of the listing period may be approved by the Department of Revenue, the board of equalization and review, the board of county commissioners, or the governing body of a municipality, as appropriate. An untimely application for exemption or exclusion approved under this subdivision applies only to property taxes levied by the county or municipality in the calendar year in which the untimely application is filed. The applications for Mr. Reinhardt and Mrs. Matthews can be approved for 1999 based on the above referenced general statutes. The opinion of the Assessor is that Mr. Reinhardt and Mrs. Matthews meet all eligibility requirements and the letters provided by Mr. Reinhardt and Mrs. Matthews satisfies the "good cause" requirement of General Statute 282.1.(a)(5). FINANCIAL IMPACT: Loss in annual revenue of $386.12. RECOMMENDATION: The Administration recommends that the application for 1999 homestead exemption for Mr. Reinhardt and Mrs. Matthews be approved.