| Yesterday, there was quite the party at the Sumner Senior Center! Over 90 people attended the meeting about how to get a discount on your property taxes if you’re a qualifying senior citizen or have a disability. Now we know: the way to pack a room is to offer the possibility of a reduction on taxes! I get it. Costs are going up, the State legislature is threatening new taxes, and finances can get tight for a lot of people. (Just remember, the city only gets 7.7% of your total property tax bill, so please don’t blame us for the total amount!) Pierce County offers this exemption throughout the county. Their application is a little complicated, so we appreciate their staff taking the time to come out and explain each step and answer questions. If you live in Sumner and get this County exemption, we’re now automatically giving you a discount on your Sumner utility bill as well. An extra government benefit without more red tape? Mind boggling, isn’t it? Seriously, it was important to us to find a way to offer a utility discount that was not burdensome on you to get into the program and not burdensome on staff to manage because that just drives up staffing costs for everyone. If you missed yesterday’s session and still want to apply, never fear. You can explore this program and apply anytime. Use the button below to learn more. Pierce County holds these seminars each month throughout the county. Given the popularity, we’ll look into scheduling another in Sumner later this year. I’m not sure you hear this enough from governments: taxes are necessary to fund critical services. However, we always have to balance what we’re collecting with the impact of taxes on people who may be struggling to pay, especially our older, retired residents. Hopefully this program helps out. It appears from the crowded room that many people believe it will. Mayor Kathy Hayden |
Categories: Around TownFeatured
