More Framingham Seniors May Get Tax Deferrals Under New City Law

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The Framingham City Council is moving to expand a city senior citizen tax deferral program by increasing income limits and lowering interest rates on tax balances.

The Council Finance Subcommittee in October unanimously approved raising the income limit for the deferral program to $60,000 from $40,000. The subcommittee also approved lowering the interest rate for deferred property tax balances from 4 percent down to 1 percent.

The full City Council will vote on the expanded program on Tuesday, the end of a long process that had to first go through the state Legislature and Gov. Charlie Baker.

The changes were first suggested by District 6 School Committee member Geoff Epstein, according to Finance Subcommittee Chair Adam Steiner. State Rep. Maria Robinson filed a Home Rule Petition — supported by state Rep. Carmine Gentile — in June to give Framingham the power to expand the program, and that passed both chambers on Oct. 5. Baker signed the law on Oct. 13.

Framingham has seven programs for various types of city residents to either defer or get a discount on property taxes. The deferral expansion applies to Clause 41A, which is open to anyone over age 65 who has either lived in the state for 10 years, lived in their Framingham home for five years, or inherited the home from a spouse who owned it for at least five years. Under Clause 41A, deferred taxes get paid back, with interest, once a home is sold or transferred.