Tax freeze question going before voters

Voters will decide the fate of a proposition to freeze taxes for citizens over the age of 65 and disabled citizens when they go to the polls next Tuesday.

Three separate elections are being held by Donley County, the City of Clarendon, and the Clarendon College District. Each of the entities placed the measure on a ballot after receiving petitions from the Donley County Concerned Citizens in August.

If approved, the ad valorem taxes on qualified homesteads would be frozen on January 1, 2007, with tax statements that are issued in October of next year.

A tax freeze would place a cap on the dollar amount of taxes for those that qualify, according to officials with the Donley County Appraisal District.

“If the tax rate goes down, the taxes go down; but if the tax rate goes up, the taxes can’t go above that ceiling,” Chief Appraiser Paula Lowrie has said. “Of course, if you build a new garage or make improvements, then your taxes are adjusted and frozen at a new level.”

The tax freeze would only apply to declared homesteads and would not apply to business property or personal property, such as cars, boats, and planes.

County, city, and college officials have all expressed concern about the freeze, saying they are unsure what the effect will be and worrying about their ability to pay for services in the future. By law local boards had to put the issue on the ballot after the Concerned Citizens obtained the signatures of more than the minimum five percent of registered voters.

Approximately 120 signatures were needed out of 2,403 registered county and college district voters, and 220 valid names were on the petition. A total of 113 valid names were on the petition to the city, more than the 64 that were required.

As of Tuesday morning, Clarendon College reported 124 people had cast early ballots, City Hall had had 97 voters, and 290 had voted early in the county’s election. There are 2,607 registered voters in Donley County.

State law already freezes school taxes for the elderly and disabled, but there is no provision for hospital districts and groundwater districts to be subject to similar petitions.

The City of Hedley did receive a tax freeze petition from the Concerned Citizens, but the Hedley Board of Aldermen voted October 5 to voluntarily adopt the freeze.

Howardwick officials have not reported receiving a tax freeze petition, but that city’s tax rate is already legally capped at 25 cents per $100 valuation.

Early voting on the tax freeze question continues during regular business hours through this Friday, November 3, at the Courthouse Annex, the CC Administration Building, and City Hall.

Donley County registered voters will cast ballots next Tuesday at the following locations: Precinct Box 101 – Clarendon College Bairfield Activity Center, Box 102 – Howardwick City Hall, Box 201 – County Courthouse, Box 301 – Clarendon Community Center (adjacent to COEA Arena), Box 303 – Hedley Lions Club, and Box 401, Clarendon Church of Christ Family Life Center.

Registered county voters are also eligible to vote in the college election, which has polling places in these locations: Boxes 101, 102, 201, 301, 401, and 402 – CC Administration Building (West End); and Box 303 – Hedley Lions Club.

Voters registered in the City of Clarendon will vote at City Hall.

Next Tuesday’s voting will begin at 7 a.m. and end at 7 p.m. Results will be printed in next week’s Enterprise.