Bartlett imposes two new taxes, approves senior rebate
The Bartlett village board approved ordinances Tuesday imposing two new utility taxes on residents that are expected to cost each household about $85 a year.
The pair of taxes — which were included in the village's $48 million 2012-13 fiscal year budget — are expected to generate an extra $1.6 million in annual revenues.
Residents can expect to pay about $30 a year for an electric utility tax that is estimated to generate $600,000 in new revenue and $55 a year for a gas utility tax that is expected to bring in $1,085,000. The monthly taxes will begin on June 1, 2012.
Other options the board considered when creating the 2012-13 budget included dipping into village reserves instead of creating new taxes to balance spending.
The budget option the trustees picked did, however, eliminate the vehicle sticker program, saving residents $15 per vehicle.
On Tuesday the board also approved a $30 rebate per senior citizen residence on the new utility taxes. To be eligible a resident needs to be age 65 or older, be a resident for the entire fiscal year, receive electricity or natural gas at a residence during the entire fiscal year and have the utility service's account in their name.
The rebates were originally proposed to be $15 annually, but Trustee T.L. Arends suggested they be increased to $30.
“Because the utilities are some of the biggest bills that seniors have to pay I believe that $15 is not much,” she said.
The board unanimously agreed to increase the amount to $30.
Residents that pay for electricity or natural gas through their rent or homeowners association fee are still eligible for the rebate but will have to provide additional documentation showing that they pay for the electricity or natural gas bill indirectly.
Trustee Dennis Nolan expressed concern with how the seniors would know about the rebate.
Finance director Jeff Martynowicz assured the board that the rebate application form would be available at village hall and on the village's website, and that there are plans to send mailings to all residents who currently receive a senior rebate to remind them of the new rebate.
“One of our goals is to make this not very cumbersome for the seniors,” Martynowicz said.
The rebates will be paid out in June 2013.