Erie County 5th District Legislator Jeanne Vinal has introduced a proposal that would raise the income cap for the Senior Tax Credit. The law currently gives seniors earning $37,000 or less a partial tax break. Vinal’s proposal would raise the earning cap to $50,000.
“The income cap to qualify has not been raised in Erie County for eight years — despite all costs going up — and increasing at rates less than Social Security,” Vinal said in a statement. “More people are no longer eligible. Other counties have raised the cap repeatedly in these eight years.”
The proposed tax breaks would cost the county $5-7 million per year, according to Vinal. However, she said the revenue could be made up by Erie County’s sales tax underestimations this year, which will give the county more than $10 million in extra revenues and over $20 million in reimbursements the county has received from the Erie County Medical Center for overpayments.
“I think it's foolish, economically, not to make sure that seniors continue to get this credit that they counted on,” Vinal said. “I don't want somebody knocked off because their Social Security went up $10.”
When asked how the missing tax revenue would be supplemented for in the coming years, Vinal said the county has enough to pay for the tax breaks for the next 10 years.
Vinal is encouraging Erie County seniors and their loved ones to “voice their support” for the proposal at a public comment session on the fourth floor of the Old County Hall on Tuesday, July 21 at 6:15 p.m.
“I think people should come and support it so that the county executive and my fellow legislators know that people care about seniors and want to keep them in their homes,” Vinal said.