Wcdnewtoy, September 10, IMP

P«gf 28*

The H*r»IJ and The Lantern

IXorta Wartl

SUI’KHIOH STRAIN o( American BeachgrafiH Is inspected by Asst. Manager Donald Hamer, left, and Manager Cluster Belcher of the U.8. Dept, of Agriculture Soil Conservation Plant Materials Center, north of Cape May Court House. Note the wider leaves •f the new variety, now available to commercial nurseries.

Mobile Homeowmert Tax Relief Question for Seniors on Ballot

By James R. Hurley TRENTON - Along with electing a president, a new Congress, numerous local and county officials, and deciding a number of bond issues — voters in the upcoming election also will be called upon to decide whether or not to change the New Jersey Constitutiionintwoways. Both of the proposed changes would affect property tax deductions for senior and disabled citiiens. One of the proposed amendments would extend

Cape Grass (From Pagel) other shore areas where erosion is likely, including shore front properties, 9 roadsides, and riverbanks. Beachgrass is usually planted by hand, at least eight inches deep, so the plants won't be blown but of the sand. Atkinson said the Cape variety does not take long to flourish and will thrive especially well if fertilized. The Bureau of Seed Certification in the Div. of Plant Industry annually tests and certifies thousands of seeds to assure farmers and other seed purchasers of quality seeds, including barley, cojrn, lima bean, asparagus, soybean, tomato wheat and grass seeds.

the exisUng $160 property tax deduction for seniors and the disabled to those who woulg otherwise qualify for the deduction except that their home or dwelling unit isn't on their own land. THIS proposed amendment is the outgrowth of a recent Supreme Court decision which determined that trailers, located in trailer parks, should be assessed and taxed as real property. This decision causes an unfair hardship on many seniors and disabled Citizens because the current property tax deduction is only extended to those who own both their home and the land upon which it is situated. As originally conceived, extending the deduction in this fashion was considered equitable because trailer owners and others who owned homes on land which belonged to someone else, weren’t subject to property taxes. Since persons involved in this type of property ownership are now to be fully taxed, it was felt by the Legislature that the public should determine if the current property tax deduction should be extended to senior and disabled citizens who own only their dwelling, but not the land upon which it is located. THE OTHER constitutional amendment which will appear on the

Nov. 4 ballot proposes to raise the existing income limit for qualifying for the senior citizen property tax deduction from $5,000 to $8,000 in 1981, to $9,000 in 1962, and to $10,000 in 19831 and any year thereafter. This amendment would also raise the amount of the deduction from the current $160 to $200 in 1981 to$22Sin 1962 and to $250 in 1963 and every year thereafter. The purpose of this amendment is obvious. Inflation has cut into this deduction with a doubleedged sword, One one hand the value of the deduction has been whittled away by rising costs and rising taxes. ON THE OTHER hand, inflation-inspired cost of living adjustments have caused the income levels of many senior and disabled citizens to climb to a point where they no longer can qualify for this deduction under the prohibitively low income limit that currently is imposed in the State’s Constitution. Not all proposed constitutional amendments are good. However, thetwo amendments that will appear on this year’s ballot are worthy changes that will help to care for our state’s most needy citizens.

James Hurley (Rdimber-land-Cape) is the N.J. State Assembly Minority Leader.

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