SR-212-003 (5)
CM:VR:dvm
Council Mtg. April e 1983
Santa Monica, California
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II-L
TO:
Mayor and City council
APR 5 1983
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Recommendation to Request City Attorney
Draft Ordinance Slmplifying System for
Rebate of Utillty Tax to Senior Citizens.
II\TTRODUCTION
This report recommends that City Council alter the procedures
followed whereby Santa Monlca Senior Cltlzens file for a rebate
of thelr utility taxes by allowing for a one-time application
process and thereafter an automatic rebate through the various
utl1lty bllllng procedures as is done in Los Angeles, Culver City
and elsewhere.
BACKGROUND
Several months ago, Clty Counell requested that staff explore
ways to simplify the steps necessary for seniors to request and
rece1ve rebate of the utility taxes WhlCh are made available to
city governments. Currently eliglble seniors come to City Hall
yearly with their past year's utility bl1ls in hand. Volunteers
are available from May - June to calculate the rebates for which
the seniors are eliglble. The yearly contact wlth City Hall lS
considered
positive
by some, yet the effort involved in
collectlng
utility
bills and calculating rebates is time
consuming
for
volunteers
and
the
sen~ors
themselves.
Representatives of the utllities involved have suggested that the
procedure may be simpllfied through an automatic rebate which is
deducted from the utility bills during the~r regular billing
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I/-L
APR 5 1983
e
e
process.
This automatic system may be triggered for each
particlpant after one V1Slt to City Hall to establlsh his or her
eligibility.
While cutting down on the personal contact which seniors would
otherwise have wlth City Hall through thlS program on a yearly
baSls,
providlng for an automatic rebate once an lnitial
application is made and approved will make it possible for
senlors to receive the refunds wlth less effort on their part.
City Staff would concentrate on increasing the numbers of senlors
who know about the program and helping them to complete the
one-time rebate appllcatlon form. Consideration will be made for
seniors unable to come to City Hall due to disability or poor
health.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that Council direct:
1. the City Attorney to draft an ordinance enabling seniors to
make a one-tlme application for tax rebates which can be
utilized durlng the months of May and June, 1983 when seniors
will be coming to City Hall filing for rebates of last year's
taxes.
2. the City Treasurer develop an application form, which will be
available for the appllcation and reVlew process.
PREPARED BY: Vivian Rothstein
Community Liaison
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