AMHERST — Senior citizens participating in a program that lets them work for municipal departments in exchange for lower property taxes are now eligible for larger abatements.
Following a request from Maura Plante, program director at the Amherst Senior Center, the Select Board Monday agreed to increase the maximum annual abatement from $1,000 to $1,500.
The state Legislature authorized cities and towns to make the change in November.
Plante said Feb. 1 that she hopes the increase will encourage more applicants. The program has 35 slots, seven of which remain open. Participants perform a variety of jobs, including delivering for the University of Massachusetts’ meals on wheels program, providing wellness rides and doing data entry at the senior center.
“People who participate in the program have said they enjoy it, it’s really been interesting for them to work within town departments, and they have a different view of departments than before,” Plante said.
The pay is minimum wage, or $11 per hour, Plante said.
Of the 30 participants in fiscal year 2016, 19 earned the maximum $1,000, which was applied to the third quarter property tax bill due in February.
“People who are in the program will need to work about 134 hours during this calendar year,” to attain the maximum $1,500, Plante said, which will be applied to their February 2018 tax bill.
The money covering the cost of the program, which began with 10 participants in 2002, will come from an overlay reserve account. Information supplied by officials estimates that the program will cost around $39,000, up from $26,256 in fiscal year 2016.
Those interested must be 60 or older. Single applicants must have an annual adjusted gross income of up to $36,531. Those in two-person households must have annual adjusted gross incomes of up to $54,797.
For more information and to get an application, contact Plante at 413-259-3213 or email at plantem@amherstma.gov.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
