The Board of County Commissioners approved updates to the FY2026 senior property tax relief pilot Dec. 11, expanding eligibility and adjusting parameters to broaden who can receive county property-tax rebates.

Tom Franzen, the presenter for Treasury/Taxation, told commissioners the staff-projected funding range under the proposed parameters had a minimum anticipated cost of about $370,000 and a low‑probability maximum of $7,000,000 if the program were adopted at full scale. “The probability of that is very low, but we wanted to make sure the board understood the possible magnitude,” Franzen said.

Under the approved changes the board increased the maximum appraised home valuation in the pilot to $500,000 and removed the age requirement (previously limited to residents 65 and older), while maintaining other eligibility rules from the FY2024 pilot. Commissioner Hanslick, who moved the measure, emphasized examples of residents helped by the program and said the change would allow more people, including those with disabilities, to qualify for the county rebate.

Commissioner Ashcraft voiced fiscal concern about open-ended cost risk and said his vote would reflect those reservations; the motion carried with a 6-1 vote (one dissent by Ashcraft). Commissioners and staff agreed to return next spring with program results and recommendations if costs exceeded available funds.

What the vote does not do: the action does not change state rebates, city taxes or school levies; county rebates are supplemental and limited to the county’s portion of property tax as defined in program rules. Staff noted a separate federal ‘‘local assistance and tribal consistency fund’’ contribution (roughly $90,000 referenced in discussion) was a one-time mechanism and not guaranteed annually.

Next steps: staff will monitor program uptake and return to the board with recommendations if expenditures approach or exceed available funding.