The City of Hialeah announced this week that it has removed a portion of its property taxes affecting thousands of city seniors without impacting essential services, a move it says is a first in Florida.
"For years, seniors were told it couldn't be done. They were told the only solution was to go to Tallahassee, to wait on legislation, to accept that relief was out of reach," Hialeah Mayor Bryan Calvo said. "But we didn't accept that answer. We found a way."
The Hialeah City Council approved the measure, which specifically provides tax relief to approximately 6,635 families, or nearly 21% of Hialeah residents. The average check is $539 to qualified seniors.
Recipients must be 65 or older, have an annual income of $37,694 or less, and meet homestead exemption requirements to be eligible.
According to the City of Hialeah, the historic measure was made possible by early pension payments that eliminated $1.2 million in projected interest costs, leading to savings for city residents.
"This is an achievement that should be modeled across the State of Florida. While most cities rely on state mandates or budget increases to provide tax relief, Hialeah implemented a budget-neutral solution with no additional tax or cuts in services," a release noted.
The City of Hialeah indicated checks will be provided to those who qualify by the end of March.
"This is proof that local government can find solutions when others say it can't be done," Calvo concluded.
The move follows a joint resolution passed by the Florida House of Representatives earlier this month to remove non-school property taxes. The resolution is currently in limbo, with its status up in the air in the Florida Senate.
