§ 18-3. Homestead exemption for persons sixty-five years of age or older or disabled.

(a)

Exemption. Upon compliance with all requirements of this section and all the applicable laws and ordinances, twenty-thousand dollars ($20,000.00) of the total market assessed value of residence homestead of persons sixty-five (65) years of age or older, or disabled, shall be exempt from ad valorem taxes levied by the city.

(b)

Effective date. Such exemption shall be effective as to such residence homesteads as may qualify hereunder from and after January 1, 1983. Eligibility for such exemption shall be determined each year as of January 1 of such year.

(c)

Application. The exemption provided for by this section shall not be allowed unless the person claiming such exemption shall file with the city tax assessor collector, or firm that is presently performing the duties of the tax assessor collector, between January 1 and April 1 of the year, or as directed by the state statute now in effect or as amended, of the year for which such exemption is now claimed, documentary proof of age satisfactory to the tax assessor collector and a sworn claim for such exemption, describing the property for which exemption is sought, on forms prescribed by the tax assessor collector, giving complete information as provided for by such forms. In the event of good cause shown to the satisfaction of the tax assessor collector late application may be accepted but not later in any event than the state laws allow.

(d)

Determination of tax assessor collector. After said application, all necessary proof and any other necessary information has been filed, the tax assessor collector or persons acting on behalf of the city in the capacity of tax assessor collector by contract, shall determine eligibility for such exemption. The determination of the tax assessor collector shall be final and the property in question shall be placed on the tax rolls of the city in accordance with such determination.

(e)

Limitations. Exemption authorized hereby shall extend only to residential homestead as same may be defined by the laws of the state now enforced or as amended. Such exemption shall be allowed only if the property in question is in fact the residential homestead of the applicant and such person has obtained the age of sixty-five (65) years on January 1 of the taxable year in question. The exemption shall be granted if one spouse has attained the age of sixty-five (65) years of such applicable date if though the other has not attained such age.

(f)

Determined date of exemption. State laws as governing the definition of homestead as well as the eligibility requirements shall determine the date of exemption and eligibility of the same.

(Ord. No. A-518, 2-26-73; Ord. No. A-582, 11-25-74; Ord. No. A-645, §§ 1—6, 12-8-75; Ord. No. A-971, 10-12-81; Ord. No. A-1085, §§ 1—6, 9-12-83)