Elderly Tax Amendment Gets Little Attention

WSMV.Com
November 1, 2006

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- People who voted early may have been surprised by one measure on the ballot folks haven't heard much about.

Amendment 2 On Ballot Not Getting Much Attention (video)

Amendment 2 would enable communities to freeze property taxes for elderly homeowners. But voting yes doesn't make it a done deal.

Constitution Amendment 2, if passed, could give elderly Tennesseans a tax break.

The amendment will allow the setup of a plan for local governments to freeze the property tax rates on people 65 and older.

This will apply for those who already own their homes or plan to purchase one after the amendment is adopted.

The amendment hasn't been widely publicized.

Murfreesboro resident George Clark built his home 35 years ago for $12,000 and said he didn’t even want to think about the property taxes on the worth of it now.

Antioch resident Eugenia Harvell is on a fixed income, and for the past 19 years the taxes on her home have continued to climb.

"Last year it was $1,174 and I received a bill I think yesterday, and it was $1,274,” she said.

Just by receiving more yes votes doesn't mean the property tax break is enacted.

"It has to get a number of a percentage in the governor’s race. For example, if 1 million people vote, the amendment has to get 500,000 plus one vote," Thompson said.

In addition, if elderly Tennesseans’ income or wealth exceeds the amount to be determined by the general assembly, they won't be eligible for the tax break.

Some hoped that the amendment would be enacted because they have to scale back on other things to pay their taxes.

"We watch what we spend, but when it goes up like that; water bills, electric bills, food…it's hard on the older people like myself to pay the taxes,” Nashville resident Junior Grimes said.