STARKVILLE — An Oktibbeha County woman’s request for a refund to adjust her property tax bill was denied Monday during the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors meeting.
Karen Bennett, who lives in a home with her mother and aunt, said due to a county tax office oversight she wasn’t given homestead exemption credit — a tax credit given to residents over the age of 65 and/or disabled — from 2007-2010.
Bennett, whose mother is over 65 and aunt is disabled, said she didn’t know about homestead exemption when she started handling her family’s property taxes. Three people who qualify for homestead exemption are on the land deed. But each time she’s been to the office, she’s never been informed of the exemption, she said, despite referencing her family members who are on the deed.
“I was never told that multiple people could get that exemption, either,” she said. “But when I called (the State Tax Commission in) Jackson, first thing they asked me was if there is anybody in the home 65 years or older or fully disabled. She said these two questions should be the first two questions they ask you.”
Bennett said she is owed between $1,100 and $1,600.
The board, however, said the burden of responsibility rests on property owners and granting her a refund would set a dangerous precedent. County Attorney Jack Brown said the board could face legal ramifications if it granted Bennett a refund.
“You can’t get a refund for anything over three years old, even if it was allowed,” Brown said. “For the board to do what you’re requesting, they’d probably be committing a crime. The law says the burden is on the taxpayer to know the law.”
Brown recommended Bennett speak with the incoming tax assessor, Allen Morgan, who replaces Pat Kight on Dec. 2. Kight’s resignation was accepted during Monday’s meeting. She’ll leave office a month early for retirement.
Brown said that if there’s any way Morgan could legally request the board to help Bennett, the board would consider it.
Bennett said she’d already talked to Kight about getting a refund and it was eventually turned down by the board.
“The state tax office told me that they’ve done refunds but I must go through my county tax office,” Bennett said. “I’ll speak with Mr. Morgan to, hopefully, get this resolved.”
In other matters, the board:
- Adopted a final list of county roads for its emergency 911 system and county road register, which will be re-created with more detail and will be easier to change in the future. Residents will be mailed official notices of any changes to their road names.
- Will consider East Mississippi Community College President Rick Young’s request for a donation to help the school’s football team with travel expenses for the national championship game Dec. 2 in Arizona. Young, who said four Oktibbeha County natives are on the roster, has requested the same thing of other area supervisors. He said flight expenses are upwards of $140,000.
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