Commission delays decision on property-tax break for seniors

The Manatee County Board of County Commissioners delayed a decision on a draft ordinance that would give an additional homestead exemption from property taxes to long-term, low-income seniors.

At its meeting Tuesday, the commission voted unanimously to put the topic on its legislative agenda for next year, hoping lawmakers would close loopholes in the proposal by then.

In July, the commission had asked the Manatee County Attorney's Office to draft an ordinance after voters approved a constitutional amendment about it in 2012. 

That amendment automatically permitted a city or county to provide for an additional or alternative exemption covering the entire assessed value of homestead property, valued up to $250,000, for seniors who had lived there for at least 25 years.