§ 20-1. Homestead exemption for senior citizens.

(1)

[Title.] This section shall be known and may be cited as "Okaloosa County Additional Homestead Exemption for Senior Citizens."

(2)

[Purpose.] This section is adopted pursuant to Section 196.075, Florida Statutes, as amended, and Section 6(f), Article VII of the Florida Constitution to allow a homestead tax exemption of $50,000.00 for any person who has legal or equitable title to real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of such owner, who has attained age 65, and whose household income does not exceed $24,214.00 in accordance with the regulations established herein.

(3)

[Definitions.] The words and phrases in this article shall have the meaning provided by Section 196.075, Florida Statutes, as amended, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning.

Household means a person or group of persons living together in a room or group of rooms as a housing unit, but the term does not include persons boarding in or renting a portion of the dwelling.

Household income means the adjusted gross income, as defined in Section 62 of the United States Internal Revenue Code, of all members of a household.

(4)

[Requirements.]

(a)

In accordance with Section 6(f), Article VII, of the Florida Constitution and Section 196.075, Florida Statutes, as amended, the board of county commissioners hereby authorize a homestead tax exemption of $50,000.00 commencing with the year 2007 for any person who has legal or equitable title to real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of such owner, who has attained age 65, and whose household income does not exceed $24,214.00.

(b)

Beginning January 1, 2007, such person's $24,214.00 income limitation shall be adjusted annually, on January 1, by the percentage change in the average cost-of-living index in the period January 1 through December 31 of the immediate prior year compared with the same period for the year prior to that. The index is the average of the consumer-price-index figure for the stated 12-month period relative to the United States as a whole, issued by the United States Department of Labor.

(c)

Persons receiving such homestead tax exemption shall be subject to the provisions of Section 196.131 and 196.161, Florida Statutes, as amended, if applicable, pertaining to wrongful receipt of homestead exemption.

(5)

[Adverse financial impact.] It is the intent of the board of county commissioners in establishing this section, that it be and hereby is empowered to rescind this homestead tax exemption at the end of any particular year should it be determined in the sole discretion of the board that there is an adverse financial impact of such an exemption, and it no longer serves the best financial interests of the county.

(6)

[Applicability.]

(a)

The homestead tax exemption established hereunder shall apply only to taxes levied by the board of county commissioners. Unless otherwise specified by the county, this exemption will apply to all levies of the county, including dependent special districts and all municipal service taxing units.

(b)

Should the board of county commissioners hereafter specify a different exemption amount for any dependent special districts or municipal service taxing units, that exemption amount must be uniform in all such dependent special districts or municipal service taxing units within Okaloosa County.

(7)

[Additional homestead exemption.]

(a)

Those persons entitled to the homestead tax exemption in Section 196.031, Florida Statutes, as amended, may apply for and may receive an additional homestead tax exemption as provided in this section.

(b)

A taxpayer claiming the additional homestead tax exemption provided for under this section shall annually submit to the property appraiser, no later than March 1, a sworn statement of household income on a form prescribed by the Department of Revenue.

(c)

The filing of the statement of the taxpayer shall be supported by copies of any federal income tax returns for the prior year, any wage and earnings statements (W-2 Forms) and any other documents it finds necessary, for each member of the household, submitted by June 1. The taxpayer's statement shall attest to the accuracy of such copies. The property appraiser may not grant the exemption without the required documentation.

(d)

If title is held jointly with right of survivorship, the person residing on the subject property and otherwise qualifying may receive the entire amount of the additional homestead tax exemption.

(Ord. No. 07-26, §§ 1—7, 5-15-07)