HomeMy WebLinkAboutSenior Advisory Board - Minutes - 09/13/197211
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COORDINATING COMMISSION FOR SENIOR CITIZENS
Monthly Meeting
September 13, 1972
The monthly meeting of the Commission was held at 3:30 p.m., September 13, 1972
in the City Council Chambers.
Commission members present:
Commission member absent
Walter B. Peterson, Vice Chairman
Charles N. Shepardson, Secretary
W. J. Boggs
Helen Clarke
Jim Deitloff
Rev. C. H. Hinkhouse
F. N. Jordan
Ed., Martin
Nancy Stegner, Chairman
The meeting was called to order by the Vice Chairman. Minutes of the meeting of
August 24, 1972 were approved as distributed.
Tax Relief: The proposed memorandum (copy attached) for submission to the City
Council on tax relief for low-income senior citizens was discussed at length and
unanimously approved for presentation to the Council.
The Commission was advised that preliminary copies had been delivered to the
Mayor. It was agreed that as soon as the Mayor gave approval, members of the
Commission would contact assigned senior citizens' organizations, present them
with copies of the report and urge their support when the item is docketed
for Council consideration.
Amendment to Bylaws: A proposed amendment to Article III, Item 2 of the Bylaws
copy attac a was adopted unanimously and the secretary was instructed to
forward a copy to the City Council for their approval.
Sales Tax Proposal: In consideration of a proposed sales tax increase to finance
proposed capital improvements by the City as requested by the Mayor, the Chairman
reported by telephone that the Welfare Department had given her the information
that local food costs of low-income groups in the County is approximately 23% of
their income. The Council is considering a possible increase of one per cent in
the City Sales Tax with provision for refund of the tax on food to low-income
citizens. Assuming $4,000 is the breaking point for low-income citizens and
25% of income is the food costs, the one per cent tax would amount to only $10
per family unit. After considering the problems of saving food purchase receipts
and filing claims for refunds, the Commission was of the opinion that the pro-
posed refund plan would be too much trouble for many elderly citizens and beyond
the mental competence of many low-income families to be an effective relief.
The Commission, therefore, adopted the following motion unanimously:
'That any increase in City Sales Tax specifically exclude any tax on
food or, if it is found impossible or impractical to exclude food pur-
chases, that provision be made for refund periodically of any tax on
food for low-income families.'
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Senior Citizens' Day: The Commission decided to review at its next meeting the
question of continuing Senior Citizens' Day.
The meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m. The next meeting will be at the City Council
Chambers at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 11, 1972. This will be the annual
meeting and election of officers. Everyone is urged to attend.
Charles N. Shepardson
Secretary