ITEM TITLE:
Acceptance of Late File Application for 2025 Senior Citizen’s Property Tax Exemption - Rebecca and Kenneth Tetz
SUBMITTED BY: Elise Sorum-Birk, Deputy City Clerk
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: n/a
Unencumbered Balance: n/a
Funding Source: n/a
RECOMMENDATION:
n/a
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
Under Alaska Statute (AS 29.45.030) and Valdez Municipal Code (VMC 3.12.030), real property owned and occupied as the primary residence by a disabled veteran is exempt from taxation on the first one hundred and fifty thousand dollars of the assessed value of the real property.
The property owner is required by statute and code to file annually for the exemption on a standard form provided by the state of Alaska. The annual application must be filed no later than January 15th of the assessment year for which the exemption is sought.
Applications are filed with the City Clerk’s Office for processing and acceptance. If the annual application is filed before the deadline and the applicant meets the exemption program requirements, the City Clerk’s Office processes the applicant’s paperwork and the exemption is then automatically applied to the appropriate property tax account.
Under Valdez Municipal Code (VMC 3.12.030(3)(a)), only the City Council holds the authority to waive the annual January 15th application deadline for this exemption program. The City Council, for demonstrated good cause, may waive the applicant’s failure to make timely application for the current year and authorize the City Clerk’s Office to accept the application as if timely filed.
Please find the following documents attached from the Tetz household:
• 2025 Property Tax Exemption Application
• Written Explanation of Late Application
This application was received by the City Clerk’s office on January 31, 2025 but otherwise meets all the requirements for the Senior Citizen’s Property Tax Exemption.