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An Ordinance of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, amending and supplementing the Allegheny County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 475, entitled "Taxation," Article V, entitled "Senior Citizen Relief," to provide for a single application form for the Senior Citizen Relief and Homestead/Farmstead Programs.
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WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of Allegheny County adopted Ordinance No. 33-00-OR on November 8, 2000, establishing a Senior Citizen Relief Program pursuant to Act 77 of 1993; and
WHEREAS, many of the same individuals who participate in the Senior Citizen Relief Program are also eligible for the County's Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion Program; and
WHEREAS, both of these programs allow taxpayers who have applied once to continue to participate without filing applications in subsequent years; and
WHEREAS, developing a single form that captures the information necessary to determine eligibility for both programs would lessen the burden upon taxpayers who are able to apply for these two property tax relief programs;
The Council of the County of Allegheny hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1.
The Allegheny County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 475, entitled "Taxation," Article V, entitled "Senior Citizen Relief," is hereby amended by the addition of a new §475.40, as follows:
§475.40. Unified Application.
The Allegheny County Treasurer shall develop an application for the Senior Citizen Relief Program that also captures all information necessary to determine the eligibility of an applicant for the County's Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion Program by December 31, 2007. Beginning January 1, 2008, the Treasurer shall forward a copy of any application for participation in the Senior Citizen Relief Program received to the Office of Property Assessments as an application for participation in the Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion Program. The Office of Property Assessments shall accept and evaluate any applications forwarded by the Treasurer under the terms of this Section.
SECTION 2. Severability. If any provision of this Ordinance shall be determined to be unlawful, invalid, void or unenforceable, then that provision shall be considered severable from the remaining provisions of this Ordinance which shall be in full force and effect.