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Senate Passes
Property Tax Exemption Bill
Whitaker's HB 118 Relieves Seniors from Annual Applications

(JUNEAU) - Senior citizens in Alaska may no longer have to reapply every year for municipal property tax exemptions, following Senate passage today of House Bill 118.

Sponsored by Rep. Jim Whitaker (R-Fairbanks) HB 118 would allow municipalities to free senior citizens, disabled veterans, and others receiving state-mandated local property tax exemptions from the requirement that they annually reapply for such exemptions.

While state law exempts such people from paying property taxes on the first $150,000 of their principal residence, they are currently required to submit annual applications to maintain such exemptions. Whitaker said the endless application requirement is an excessive burden.

"This mandate poses an undue hardship for many of Alaska's citizens, the old and the infirm, who are least able to comply with a yearly filing requirement," Whitaker said.

In addition to eliminating the annual application requirement, HB 118 gives each taxing municipality the authority to establish local procedures for accepting applications for the exemption.

HB 118 moves next to the governor.

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Attachments:

• Sponsor Statement for HB 118
  
• Print Friendly Version
  requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - 1 page(s) - 97 K

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