By Marlowe Hamerston, chair
MnSF income/security tax committee

The MnSF tax committee has been working to influence passage of legislation it introduced last legislative session. With the advent of a state deficit, things look bleak for any breakthrough on taxes. We have worked on the approach that better use can be made with some of the monies that the Minnesota now invests in property tax relief. The Property Tax Refund program (PTR) works very well and should not be changed. We encourage all seniors to participate in this program.

The Market Value Homestead Credit program (MVHC), sometimes called Market Value Credit, is a questionable investment. This program gives a $304 credit to those owning homes valued at $75,000 with the credit decreasing as the value of the home increases until a property valued at $414,000 receives no aid. In my opinion this is backwards.

As the assessor raises the market value of your home, aid decreases. When taxes increase, this is when you most need help. Aid given by the MVHC is not related to need. The aid depends only on the value of the property. While someone with a property valued at $80,000 receives $300 off their $800 property tax, someone with a $3,580 property tax bill gets $50 of relief. That might get the homeowner and spouse a dinner at a restaurant, but it is not much help on a $3,580 property tax bill.

The legislation we are working for would place an absolute limit of 5 percent of income to what the Minnesota property tax system could take from a homeowner. It may be less than 5 percent of your income, but it could never be greater than 5 percent. To fund this limit, some of the MVHC monies would be used.

To accomplish this, the tax committee needs your help. On March 5, I talked to a senator who was willing to go to bat for us but he was hesitant to do so because he had no calls or complaints about the property tax. You must not give up and say it is no use to call. If that is the case, the Federation’s tax committee might just as well disband. If that reasoning applies to all the Federation’s other endeavors at the legislature to advance the causes of seniors, they might just as well end.

Following are names that the tax committee encourages you to call and leave a message. If change is to take place, you need to help. That is the purpose of being a member of the Senior Federation - through our united efforts we can make a difference. We must be united and encourage our legislators to hear the plight of seniors and help us if they expect our vote next November. They say that the squeaky wheel gets the grease - so start squeaking. Put it in your own words and describe your situation. It is not enough to complain to your neighbor; it is legislators who need to hear your story.

Keep your message to the topic of establishing a limit to the property tax. If you have strong feelings on other topics, save that for another call.

Possible message: Every tax has a limit except the property tax. The time has come to end the open-ended taxation of the property tax. Establish a 5 percent of income limit. Pass House File 856 and Senate File 947.

• Gov. Tim Pawlenty, 651/296-3391, 800/657-3717
• Rep. Margaret Kelliher, 651/296-0171
• Rep. Tony Sertich, 651/296-0172
• Rep. Ann Lenczewski, 651/296-4218
• Rep. Paul Marquart, 651/296-6829, 800/551-5520
• Rep. Marty Seifert, 651/296-5374, 888/234-1242
• Sen. Larry Pogemiller, 651/296-7809
• Sen. Tarryl Clark, 651/296-6455
• Sen. Tom Bakk, 651/296-8881
• Sen. Rod Skoe, 651/296-4196
• Sen. David Senjem, 651/296-3903
• Sen. Setveer Chaudhary, 651/296-4334

You may not get the legislator personally but your message will be taken and the legislator will know your feelings. Add to this list your own senator and representative. If you do not know who they are, call House Information, 651/296-2146 or 800/657-3550.