OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen Silver Creek Village Trustee Kathy Tampio made a motion to increase the income limit for senior citizens to remain eligible for a tax exemption in the Village.

SILVER CREEK — The Village of Silver Creek recognizes the financial stress that many senior citizens are under. To do its part to help ease that burden, the Village has increased the income limit for senior citizens to qualify for a real property tax exemption to $30,000.

The Village offers a real property tax exemption of 50% of the assessed value of the property to senior citizen homeowners. The exemption can take effect at the next taxable status date of March 1, which is Saturday. Eligible seniors are urged to sign up for the exemption prior to that date by visiting the Town of Hanover Assessor’s Office.

Trustee Kathy Tampio made the motion to amend the Village of Silver Creek Senior Citizen Partial Real Property Tax Exemption income eligibility limit, raising it from the previous limit of $22,000, which had not been modified since 2014.

In 2024, the Chautauqua County Legislature raised the County Senior Citizens Tax Exemption annual household income eligibility limit from $22,000 per year to $30,000 per year. Silver Creek’s amendment is equivalent to that adjustment.

The Chautauqua County Office for Aging Services estimates that the average senior citizen annual income for the county is $35,000. Annual Senior Citizen income is based on the Federal household adjusted gross income on their tax return.

Recent Social Security increases to annual senior income has had a negative impact for individuals whose income went above the annual income limit – making them ineligible for this important tax reduction. A discussion on the matter has been held at several municipalities in the area looking to make up for that change so that seniors are not penalized by the increases. The Town of Arkwright recently raised its limit for senior citizen tax exemption eligibility, as well.

The Town of Hanover Assessor’s Office is located in the Hanover Town Hall at 68 Hanover Street, Silver Creek.