TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: Peter D. Lear, CPA, CGMA, City Manager
TITLE: Discussion and Possible Action Regarding a City of North Port Ad Valorem Tax Exemption for Persons 65 and Older.
Recommended Action
1. Permission for Mayor McDowell to work with City Attorney and City Manager on creating an ordinance.
2. Decide upon the homestead exemption amount desired.
Background Information
It was brought to my attention the City of North Port is permitted to allow an additional homestead exemption for property owners 65 or over with a limited income. In 2018 the income threshold was $30,174. A sworn statement, of adjusted gross income of a household, is required prior to March 1 to the Sarasota County Property Appraiser's office.
This is an excerpt provided by the City Attorney.
The exemption is adopted by local ordinance with a supermajority vote (for our Commission, that would be 4 votes). Florida Statutes ? 196.075 provides this authority and includes the following requirements for the ordinance:
(4) An ordinance granting an additional homestead exemption as authorized by this section must meet the following requirements:
(a) It must be adopted under the procedures for adoption of a nonemergency ordinance specified in chapter 125 by a board of county commissioners or chapter 166 by a municipal governing authority, except that the exemption authorized by paragraph (2)(b) must be authorized by a super majority (a majority plus one) vote of the members of the governing body of the county or municipality granting such exemption.
(b) It must specify that the exemption applies only to taxes levied by the unit of government granting the exemption. Unless otherwise specified by the county or municipality, this exemption will apply to all tax levies of the county or municipality granting the exemption, including dependent special districts and municipal service taxing units.
(c) It must specify the amount of th...
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