By Joan F. Simoneau, Community Reporter?
Marlborough – The City Council unanimously approved the establishment of a Senior Citizen Property Tax Work-off Program at its July 23 meeting. The program, proposed by Mayor Arthur Vigeant, allows the city to provide local property owners over the age of 60 a reduction of up to $1,000 on the amount paid on their property tax in exchange for volunteer services to the city of Marlborough.?
?The seniors will be paid the Massachusetts minimum wage hourly rate, Ward 1 Councilor Joseph F. Delano Jr., chair of the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee said, as he made the motion to approve the program.
?”This will be of great benefit to seniors, financially and also give them an opportunity to offer skills and talents needed by city departments,” he said.?
?Ward 6 Councilor Edward Clancy said he was in favor of moving forward but suggested that the guidelines be flexible.
?”I would like to use [the guidelines] as a working document so we can make adjustments as we go along, if necessary,” he said. Delano agreed with Clancy.
?The proposed program is limited to 25 people per year. Applicants must have resided in Marlborough for at least five consecutive years and have an annual gross income less than $52,000 if a single filer; less than $65,000 if filing as head of household; or less than $78,000 if filing married or jointly.
Council on Aging Director Jennifer Claro, in cooperation with the assessor's office and the personnel department of the city, will oversee the program. She will maintain records for each applicant participating in the program, including number of hours of service worked and the amount of reduction they are entitled to on their tax bill. The mayor's office will approve and authorize the placement of participants and the departments in which they are placed. The mayor will also give a summary of the program to the City Council prior to the end of each fiscal year.
