Introduced By: Senators Patterson and Lenihan
Date Introduced : June 8, 1999
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 44-3 of the General Laws entitled "Property Subject to Taxation" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
{ADD 44-3-13.9. Exemption of Elderly Persons in the Town of North Kingstown. -- ADD} {ADD The town council of North Kingstown may, by ordinance, exempt from taxation the real property situated in the town which is owned and occupied by any person over the age of sixty five (65) years, and such exemption may be in an amount up to but not in excess of thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) of valuation and only one such exemption shall be allowed to co-tenants, joint tenants, and tenants by the entirety even though all or more than one of them are 65 or more years of age and occupy said property. In addition to a requirement of domicile within the town of North Kingstown at the time of making application for said exemption, the ordinance may also require that an applicant for such exemption must have been a resident of said town for a period of up to but not in excess of twenty (20) years prior to the date of assessment for the year for which exemption is claimed; and the ordinance may also require that an applicant for such exemption must have owned and had title to the real estate where he or she resided during any period of residency required by the ordinance. The ordinance may also provide for a graduated schedule of increasing exemptions, the largest of which may not exceed thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) of valuation, which may be based on a graduated schedule of the number of years, up to but not in excess of twenty (20) years, and the ordinance may also require that an applicant for such exemption has resided in the town and/or owned and had title to the real estate where he or she resides. The exemption provided in accordance with this act shall be in addition to any other exemption to which a person may be entitled under any other law or ordinance. ADD}
{ADD SECTION 2. The question of the acceptance or rejection of this act shall be submitted to the qualified electors of said town entitled to vote upon a proposition to impose a tax or for the expenditure of money at any special or regular election to be held after the passage of this act, and no other action shall be taken under the authority of this act unless a majority of said electors voting on said question vote to accept this act. ADD}
{ADD The town clerk of the town of North Kingstown shall forthwith after said election certify to the secretary of state, the result of this vote upon the question submitted. ADD}
{ADD Following the approval of this question in 1999 or any subsequent year, any ordinance passed by the town council of North Kingstown to provide tax relief for the elderly citizens of North Kingstown, in accordance with this act, shall become effective upon passage. ADD}
SECTION 3. This Section and Section 2 of this act shall take effect upon passage and Section 1 shall take effect if and when the electors of the town of North Kingstown qualified to vote upon a proposition to impose a tax or for the expenditure of money vote to accept this act.
