Voters advised of incomplete ballot amendment

Crossville Chronicle
October 19, 2006

Two constitutional amendments are on the ballot in the Nov. 7 General Election for the State of Tennessee. One of these amendments addresses the issue of freezing property taxes on residential properties for taxpayers 65 years of age or older.

The state Election Commission has announced that this amendment, as it appears on the ballot, is incomplete, and is making a concerted effort to inform voters of the omitted sections.

The state plans to publish the full version of the amendment in newspapers throughout the state, put up posters of the full text at polling sites and place a smaller copy on each voting machine. Election Commission officials in Nashville stated it is too late to reprogram voting machines in advance of early voting, which begins Oct. 18.

The amendment would allow county and city governments to freeze the property taxes of taxpayers who are 65 and over who own residential property as the taxpayer's principal place of residence and for taxpayers/homeowners who reach the age of 65.

Omitted segments include a statement that future taxes shall be increased on properties if the assessed value increases and a provision stating that the freeze would apply only to homeowners earning less than an income limit set by the legislature. This income limit would be determined after the amendment is approved by the voters.

Voters should also be aware that passage of this amendment would allow, not require, the legislature to implement the tax relief.

State Sen. Mark Norris, one of the main sponsors of the measure, has said the amendment is aimed at fixed-income seniors who cannot afford increases in their property taxes. Norris has created a Web site, www.tennesseniors.com, which contains details of the amendment.

Mark Norris Official Web Site

Mark Norris Personal Web Site

Tennesse Senate Republican Caucus

Senator Mark Norris
303 War Memorial Building,
Nashville, Tennessee 37243-0232
Phone 615-741-1967
1-800-449-8366

Email: Sen. Mark Norris