SOUTHWICK – Two town officials met with the Select Board at their meeting on Tuesday night to propose a tax break idea to the board.
Cindy Sullivan
Finance Committee Vice-Chairperson Bob Horacek and Council on Aging Director Cindy Sullivan talked to the Select Board about the possibility of having a senior tax work off program for the town of Southwick.
A program initially created by the state of Massachusetts, it has several requirements that Horacek and Sullivan still need to look into more but they did tell the Select Board that the program would be offered to low-income seniors.
Horacek informed the board that the City of Westfield currently has the program of which there is an application process that the town of Southwick would need to establish. For a city that has a population of around 40,000 people, Westfield accepted about 40 seniors to the program.
Horacek said that after looking at what a neighboring community like Westfield did, he says that 10 seniors being accepted into the program would be a fair number to start. If there ended up being more than 10 seniors that apply, there would then be a lottery system put into place.
Sullivan suggested that the program could run for roughly 37 weeks, with the accepted seniors working for three or four hours a week. Each senior would receive $1,500 a year at the maximum.
Towards the end of the discussion, the Select Board agreed that they will endorse the program and will draft up an article that will go to the annual town meeting in May to be voted on.
The tax work off program will apply to low-income seniors. (WNG File Photo)
Horacek and Sullivan also said that they reached out to a number of department heads in town and all have been on board with the program.
“It’s nice that the town supports our seniors,” said Sullivan.
If the program is voted in favor of, seniors could do their tax work off at numerous departments and areas in town. More information on the specific opportunities will be announced in the near future.
Sullivan also said that the program would give the seniors an opportunity to give back.
“It’s things that give seniors purpose to help out in their community,” said Sullivan.
For more about the program, contact Sullivan and Council on Aging at 413-569-5498.
