Montpelier Board of Abatement - September 2, 2026 [MBA]

I will call the meeting of the Montpillar Board of Abatement to order. Uh welcome everybody. Um, and I'll start by asking the members of the board who are uh present remotely to uh to identify themselves and I'll just go down the list uh and uh call your names. Jude Newman, >> I'm I'm here. Uh >> Bob Gross, >> I'm here. >> Ron Wild, >> I too am here. Uh, Marty Loggerstat >> here >> and Sarah's notetaker. >> Some AI she uses. I've never taken advantage of it. >> All right, Sarah, you're >> so um I assume that uh the agenda is approved and so we can move on. Um we have a entry here for board member comments. Do any board members have any comments? That's it. >> All right. Um, we have one abatement hearing. Uh, Diane Tetro, is that you? >> Why don't you come on up and tell us uh >> where >> step up to the front here? Yeah. >> And before you sit down, do you solemnly affirm that the testimony you're about to give today is truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? >> Yes. >> Okay, great. Have a seat. And why don't you just tell us we have we have your materials. So why don't you just uh tell us why uh you need an abatement? >> Um it's it's pretty brief. Um in October of 2024 I moved to Michigan to take care of my mother um who was living alone um and became ill. Um, and when I moved there, uh, I did not know I would be there until last July. So, I was I was there for 9 months. And while I was with her, um, I guess it's fair to say I got overwhelmed um with uh the responsibility of caring for her. And uh I attempted to u maintain my private practice in psychotherapy from from a distance. Um and uh and navigate fairly complicated family matters. Um and everything fell apart. Honestly, I couldn't uh I was having a hard time maintaining um my practice and getting my lenture material together to complete by January of 25. And uh I just had to uh let go of some things and my taxes um were one of them that was important, the 2024 taxes. So by not submitting the tax, I missed the opportunity to file my homestead um declaration. So my taxes were um much higher than than um I was really prepared to pay. So um but that that's it really in a nutshell. >> So it's is it fair to say that it's a combination of two things? One, reduced income because of uh not being able to work. Two, having higher taxes than normal because you didn't get the uh credit for the homestead. >> Right. Right. So, o overall the expenses were un unexpected. And um do you know what the difference would have been between your property tax with and without the uh homestead exemption? >> I think it would have been about 1,500 possibly or more maybe closer to 17. >> Okay. You can get a table from the tax department. >> I can't hear you. I'm sorry. >> Sorry. I don't know if this You can get a table from the tax department that you can use to calculate what your abatement would be if that would be helpful. A spreadsheet. >> I can't hear you without your microphone. >> You can get a spreadsheet online to hear you too. >> Sorry. You can get a spreadsheet from the tax department that gives you information, gives you a formula for calculating what your what your >> I just followed I followed the directions when I went to city hall asked about what to do >> and that's what I did. So, >> and are you back on top of getting your uh homestead declaration filed? both both 24 and 25 were filed um in March. Yeah. When when it was due. >> So the issue was like a one-time issue in the past and now going forward you should be okay. >> Right. >> Okay. >> Right. >> Any questions for any members of the board? Um I will in just a moment soon as something comes up. I don't seem to be on the network. Um, I'm just double checking something. Shoot. Come on. Yeah. Um, you you know, you can still file the Homestead Declaration, right? >> Um, I already did for 24 and 25. >> No, I mean for 26. >> Uh, when I file my taxes, I will. Yes. No, but I mean you can file it late so you haven't totally missed your opportunity to get a prebate from the state for 2026. >> She can. >> No, October. >> Oh, it is on the bill. Oh, I thought you said you didn't. You missed >> No, I just said I filed both 24 and 25 last year. >> Last year's bill that she missed the deadline for. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Gotcha. >> Does that make sense? >> Yeah, I got you. Sorry, >> Rosie. >> I'm confused about what you're asking to be like. You're asking for this year's property tax to be >> No, 20 is it 2024? Because that was the that was the homestead that I that was the those were the taxes I didn't file. And so >> the 2526 tax year, >> Mike, >> right? >> Sorry. >> Right. >> Thank you. >> 2526 tax year. >> So, um, right. >> Sorry. What is your question? >> I I I'm wondering what the amount is that you're asking to be evaded. >> It I think it's on the form. Um, it was >> the request was for the entire tax year, >> right? for 3,956.40 inks. >> Um, so I'm just getting clear on the numbers too. So this is um not taking into account what you would have gotten from the state if you had not missed the deadline. If you hadn't missed the deadline, you would have gotten something from the state, right? >> Correct. And and then but includes >> have you calculated like how much it would be that you would owe other than that or would were you expecting to get the entire thing from >> states? Yes. >> Okay. >> Because of the hardship that I had. >> No. I mean for your your homestead exemption, would the prebate from the state have covered your entire tax bill? >> No. >> Okay. Do you know how much it would have covered? >> I don't. >> Okay. >> I would have to look at I would have to look at my taxes at a tax form and I don't have that in front of me. >> We're asking for an abatement of the 20 24 25 taxes that are due in a rears. Correct. Not current taxes. >> I paid everything. Um, what what what I'm saying is that I did not get the benefit of the homestead tax because I didn't file my taxes until this I filed 20 five of them together 24 and 25. And so when I when I submitted my taxes, um, you know, it was the the the application was late. So I have not been I mean, I literally paid I had no no exemption, no homestead for that year. And that's what I'm that's what I'm asking for. >> So you >> I would have had it had I been on time, but I I was not on time. So >> you don't owe any taxes? >> No, I don't owe any taxes. >> Nothing is delinquent. >> Nothing is delinquent. Right, >> John? >> Yeah. I just wanted to I mean I think from the logic here, wouldn't that mean that the abatement that we would give you would be for the money you didn't get? >> Correct. >> Not an entire tax bill. >> Correct. So we would need to get some sense of how much money that would be. And what and you're saying I need to get um go to a uh a form to find out I this is all new to me. So there's you know when I when I filed these this paperwork I did it at the clerk's office and >> Right. But but you understand you understand what I mean right? >> I think I do. Um but I didn't have that I didn't have that information. Um, I mean, at least that's how I would see it. I don't know. I mean, we could approximate it based on what you got this year. >> I I don't Yeah, I mean, I don't know how this works. So, I'm I'm just >> Gary, do we have the authority or ability to abate taxes that have already been paid? So, basically giving a refund. Yeah. Okay. We do the question in my mind and this I'm probably asking the question that Bob Gross would typically be asking but you Bob you're here um is that the request is for uh taxes or charges of persons who are unable to pay their taxes and if you if you have paid the taxes can we really say that you were unable to pay those taxes >> I was able but it's a hardship that's why that I mean it was a hardship. I mean I was eligible for the homestead exemption. I didn't file in time. I paid it anyway and that's what basically what what I'm asking for. >> Gotcha. Rosie. >> I mean I think at this point um it would be the city and the residents of the city making up the difference that the state would have previously given you if we decided to go that route. and we typically hold the very because all the other residents of the city have to make up that difference. We're we're pretty um reluctant to do that. Um and I see that you do have, you know, you you still owe some on your mortgage, but you you have equity in your home on your financial assets and didn't list anything at all. Cool. >> Um on your >> and I and I called yesterday to I didn't even notice I did that till I looked over my paperwork yesterday. So, um, yeah, >> Rosie, before you start, people in online, can you hear Rosie? What Rosie is saying, because she doesn't have a mic right in front of her? >> Yes, I can hear her. >> Okay, I can hear her. Great. Thanks. >> So, I'm wondering if it makes sense for me to reapply since it sounds like there's information missing. um the information that that you're asking for the the difference between what I would have paid I think is is that is that how you put it >> I I wasn't asking you to come up with that necessarily I was just trying to clarify >> well okay maybe it was was it page yeah >> the the prebate that you would get back >> right >> um and that can be calculated I think if you just call the tax department they can send you a spreadsheet And it's pretty simple. You just plug in your income. >> Okay. So, um, so I guess I need to have more information for you all to make a decision. >> Sounds like >> Well, do do any members of the uh board have any other questions or does anyone on the board feel they're prepared to make a motion of any kind? I >> I have a question, John. This Bob Gross. You You asked my first question for me. Thank you. Uh, which had to do with, it's hard to say ability to pay when something's been paid. But my real question is, does the town of Mont city of Montpillar want to make up for anybody in the city of Montpillar that misses their deadline? And that's not having nothing to do with ability to pay at this point because it's been paid. But do we want to take on the responsibility for someone that misses a state deadline? That's a question that I have. >> Valid question. Does any any members of the board have a comment on that? I >> mean, I think it would be a sort of a fairness to the applicant before you go to do all that extra work. If if we are inclined to not make this up on that basis, it be fair to tell that. And I personally I would say that that based on this based on that you do have some assets for me this would not meet the bar that we've said previously but I don't know how other members >> anybody want to make a motion one way or the other >> I I just have a comment. >> Oh sure. >> Yeah. In the past when people have missed that deadline, I don't know how many times, but but since I've been on the board, there have been at least two or three. And I think that we have said um that if they missed the deadline that we weren't inclined, you know, to abate the tax. >> Does anybody else remember that? >> I think >> sounds right. >> Yeah. >> Be great if that was in writing. I've been working on this for almost two years and have this is this is as much information as I've received from from any office, tax, town, city, anybody. So, I'm happy to accept the decision. I just I think we should move on. >> Okay, Carrie. Um well, I'm I'm not inclined to abate because the taxes have been paid already because we um of missing the state deadline and so um so I'll move that we deny this abatement request. >> Is there a second? >> I second. >> All right. Any discussion? >> Are we ready to vote? >> All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Okay. Thank you for coming in. Thanks for your time. >> Request is denied, but thank you. >> Okay, I think we're prepared to adjourn this meeting and we can adjourn it and then got you out of here quickly. Uh, crystal.