NORWICH – Public hearings regarding the proposed increase in the income guidelines for the Senior Property Tax Exemption and the proposed Disability Property Tax Exemption were held Tuesday night. Despite the fact that the city already voted in favor of the new income guidelines for the senior exemption, they decided to table the matter.

The Senior Property Tax Exemption has been available to city residents for decades, but because the income levels for the exemption have not been altered since 1994, every year as Social Security increases, more and more individuals are no longer eligible for the exemption.

In October, the Common Council voted 6-0 in favor of increasing the income amounts; however they recently discovered they must pass an ordinance to increase the income levels. Previous limits required seniors to have an income of $14,900 or less to qualify for an exemption of 20 percent or more. The updated income schedule would provide exemptions to seniors with incomes up to $16,700.