By Adam Swift
District 6 City Councilor Giovanni Recupero has never been shy about trying to help out Chelsea’s senior taxpayers.
Recupero’s latest order, seeking a home rule petition before the state legislature to halt property tax increases for senior citizens over the age of 65, is heading to further debate before the council’s subcommittee on conference and a possible public hearing.
The order was moved to the conference committee at last week’s regular council meeting. Recupero had previously discussed the order at a subcommittee on aging and independence.
At that subcommittee meeting, Councilor-at-Large Leo Robinson raised concerns cited by the city solicitor if a councilor over the age of 65, such as Recupero or Robinson, voted to send the home rule petition to the legislator. At last week’s full council meeting, Robinson recused himself from a possible vote on the order, but Recupero said he wanted to vote to move the home rule petition to the legislature.
Recupero’s order would halt property tax increases for senior citizens who occupy their own homes and would be subject to income limits for single people and married couples. The seniors would also have to have lived in their home for at least five years for the property tax exemption to apply.
“When we went to committee, there really wasn’t too much objection to what it was,” said Recupero. “But if we have a letter that says I’m too old, I can’t vote on it because it becomes a conflict of interest, but I really don’t care if it is a conflict of interest or not; I want to help the old people. I want older generations to be able to stay in their homes; the whole thing of this, the purpose was to help them.”
Recupero said the council should move the home rule petition forward, and then have the state legislature decide if it should be passed and moved on for the governor’s signature.
“I agree with the sentiments that Councilor Recupero is putting on the table,” said District 2 Councilor Deron Hines. “I think, god willing, I would live to retirement age and be someone who owns a home; and with market conditions shifting and making it harder for people to stay in their homes, even now, who are actively working, I hear the sentiments that are being put on the table.”
However, Hines noted that there were some concerns about the order that were raised by the city’s law department.
“We should send something that has a shot and actually has the impact that we are looking to get out of this thing versus sending something and we hope they figure it out,” said Hines.