A month after more than doubling the property tax income exemption for seniors, Chautauqua County is looking to lower it significantly, but still keep it higher than it originally was.

In February, the county legislature increased the maximum income exemption for senior citizens from $22,000 to $58,400 per household.

During the March committee meetings for Administrative Services and Audit and Control, Real Property Tax Director Kim Meleen told committee members that the state does not allow exemptions for seniors to be that high, which means the amount that was approved in February must be amended. The maximum senior exemption is $50,000 annual household income.

Meleen said a request has been made to lower that senior exemption from $58,400 to $30,000. She did not specify who made the request, but indicated it was elected officials. The renewed and amended resolution that was discussed at both committee meetings says it is at the request of County Executive PJ Wendel.

According to Meleen, around 31% of Chautauqua County residents 60 and older earn $29,900 annually per household. There’s about 37,800 residents in the county that are 60 and older.

Meleen said the proposal is to lower the income threshold from $58,400 to $30,000 and revisit it on a regular basis to see if it should be increased.

Meleen admitted $30,000 isn’t her preference. “I would like it higher, but this is what everybody’s kind of discussed,” she said.

Meleen said she heard from municipal assessors who requested the increase from $22,000, but once the $58,400 was approved, she said assessors did not contact her directly. Instead, “they reached out to all of you guys,” referring to the committee members.

County Finance Director Kitty Crow handed out a spreadsheet that was designed to show the impact if the county had kept the exemption at $58,400. According to the spreadsheet, non-exempt county taxes would go up around 12 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation. A house that is assessed at $100,000 would pay an additional $11.95 a year in county taxes.

Meleen said municipalities and schools would be welcome to match the county’s exemption rate, but are not required to follow it.

Recently in the town of Arkwright, officials there declined to raise their senior exemption rate once they learned the county has raised the senior exemption rate to $58,400.

Crow noted that exemptions do not impact the county budget. It only impacts who will be paying for what portion.

Legislator Susan Parker, D-Fredonia, recommended making the senior exemption $35,000, which would be higher than what was being discussed but is far from the maximum level allowed by the state. “I think what is happening is once you get to be 65 or older, there’s so many things that start being added to your costs,” she said, referring to inflation and health costs.

Meleen said she personally would support a senior exemption at $35,000.

Legislator Terry Niebel, R-Sheridan, said he has concerns about having other county residents pay more. “We’re shifting the tax burden to other people. We do have a substantial number of people – working poor people, the younger people – who are just making ends meet, just as the senior citizens are,” he said.

He added that he’s OK with having the exemption level at $30,000 and wants to follow up in the coming years to see the fiscal impact.

Legislator Dan Pavlock, R-Ellington, said because the legislation was previously approved at $58,400, any changes must be made at the full legislature meeting.

He didn’t specify an amount that he would support. “My thought of my taxes going up in support of a fellow citizen in the county of a certain age and income, I would be glad to help them,” he said, adding, “I also have to weigh that balance, are all my neighbors willing to kick in?”

The full legislature is expected to vote on a reduction of some amount at its meeting on Wednesday.