At last week's meeting in the county's new temporary office quarters in Columbia, Dunn first suggested lowering the minimum eligibility age from 70 to 60, though that would require a change in state law. He then proposed dropping the county's $500,000 asset test, and he asked that the county relief be disconnected from whatever credits the state provides.
Chase suggested something similar to Dunn's last idea. He would give any eligible county homeowner with a gross annual income of $45,000 or less a 25 percent property tax cut after any state relief had been granted. For each $1,000 of additional income, the county tax cut would drop by 1 percent.
Dunn said he wanted to lower the eligibility age to help seniors who may have suffered losses in the current recession and stock market drop. He lost that on a 9-1 vote.
FOR THE RECORD - An article published in the Howard County section Nov. 6 included incorrect information on the eligibility criteria for the Howard County program that provides property tax cuts for older homeowners.
Homeowners ages 70 or older, with incomes less than $70,000 and assets less than $500,000 excluding their homes, are eligible for a tax cut of up to 25 percent. Retirement savings count as assets under the county law.
The Baltimore Sun regrets the error.
He then argued for dropping the asset test because he feels it discourages too many people from applying, but former state Del. Sue Buswell, another committee member, noted that with the economic downturn, "a lot of people might qualify who couldn't qualify last year."
Dunn also pushed for uncoupling the state and county credit programs to expand participation and increase the benefits, but that and his asset test idea failed on 8-2 votes.
Chase fared no better with his idea, which also failed 8-2.
