S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  772--A
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 4, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. STEWART-COUSINS, CARLUCCI -- read twice and ordered
   printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging --
   recommitted to the Committee on Aging in accordance with  Senate  Rule
   6,  sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
   amended and recommitted to said committee

 AN ACT to amend the real property tax law, in relation to increasing the
   amount of income property owners may earn for the purpose of eligibil-
   ity for the property tax exemption for persons sixty-five years of age
   or over and for persons with disabilities and limited income
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Paragraph (a) of subdivision 3 of section 467 of the real
 property tax law, as separately amended by chapters 131 and 279  of  the
 laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
   (a) if the income of the owner or the combined income of the owners of
 the  property  for the income tax year immediately preceding the date of
 making application for exemption  exceeds  the  sum  of  three  thousand
 dollars, or such other sum not less than three thousand dollars nor more
 than twenty-six thousand dollars beginning July first, two thousand six,
 twenty-seven  thousand dollars beginning July first, two thousand seven,
 twenty-eight thousand dollars beginning July first, two thousand  eight,
 twenty-nine  thousand  dollars  beginning July first, two thousand nine,
 FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS BEGINNING JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND SEVENTEEN, and
 in a city with a population  of  one  million  or  more  fifty  thousand
 dollars beginning July first, two thousand seventeen, as may be provided
 by  the  local  law,  ordinance  or  resolution adopted pursuant to this
 section. Income tax year shall mean the twelve month  period  for  which
 the owner or owners filed a federal personal income tax return, or if no
 such return is filed, the calendar year. Where title is vested in either
 the  husband or the wife, their combined income may not exceed such sum,
 except where the husband or wife, or ex-husband  or  ex-wife  is  absent
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD02764-02-7

 S. 772--A                           2
 
 from  the  property as provided in subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (d) of
 this subdivision, then only the income of the spouse or ex-spouse resid-
 ing on the property shall be considered and may  not  exceed  such  sum.
 Such  income  shall  include  social  security  and retirement benefits,
 interest, dividends, total gain from the sale or exchange of  a  capital
 asset which may be offset by a loss from the sale or exchange of a capi-
 tal  asset  in  the  same  income tax year, net rental income, salary or
 earnings, and net income from self-employment, but shall not  include  a
 return  of  capital,  gifts,  inheritances, payments made to individuals
 because of their status as victims of Nazi persecution,  as  defined  in
 P.L.  103-286  or monies earned through employment in the federal foster
 grandparent program and any such income shall be offset by  all  medical
 and  prescription  drug expenses actually paid which were not reimbursed
 or paid for by insurance, if the  governing  board  of  a  municipality,
 after  a  public  hearing,  adopts  a local law, ordinance or resolution
 providing therefor. In addition, an exchange of an annuity for an annui-
 ty contract, which  resulted  in  non-taxable  gain,  as  determined  in
 section  one thousand thirty-five of the internal revenue code, shall be
 excluded from such income. Provided that such exclusion shall  be  based
 on satisfactory proof that such an exchange was solely an exchange of an
 annuity  for an annuity contract that resulted in a non-taxable transfer
 determined by such section of the internal  revenue  code.  Furthermore,
 such  income  shall  not  include the proceeds of a reverse mortgage, as
 authorized by section six-h of the banking law, and sections two hundred
 eighty and two hundred eighty-a of  the  real  property  law;  provided,
 however,  that  monies  used  to  repay  a  reverse  mortgage may not be
 deducted from income, and provided additionally  that  any  interest  or
 dividends  realized  from  the  investment  of reverse mortgage proceeds
 shall be considered income. The provisions of  this  paragraph  notwith-
 standing,  such  income  shall  not  include veterans disability compen-
 sation, as defined in Title 38 of the United States  Code  provided  the
 governing  board  of  such  municipality, after public hearing, adopts a
 local law, ordinance or resolution providing therefor. In computing  net
 rental  income  and  net  income  from  self-employment  no depreciation
 deduction shall be allowed for the exhaustion, wear and tear of real  or
 personal property held for the production of income;
   § 2. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 5 of section 459-c of the real prop-
 erty  tax law, as amended by chapter 131 of the laws of 2017, is amended
 to read as follows:
   (a) if the income of the owner or the combined income of the owners of
 the property for the income tax year immediately preceding the  date  of
 making  application  for  exemption  exceeds  the  sum of three thousand
 dollars, or such other sum not less than three thousand dollars nor more
 than twenty-six thousand dollars beginning July first, two thousand six,
 twenty-seven thousand dollars beginning July first, two thousand  seven,
 twenty-eight  thousand dollars beginning July first, two thousand eight,
 twenty-nine thousand dollars beginning July first,  two  thousand  nine,
 AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS BEGINNING JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND SEVENTEEN,
 and  in  a  city with a population of one million or more fifty thousand
 dollars beginning July first, two thousand seventeen, as may be provided
 by the local law or resolution adopted pursuant to this section.  Income
 tax  year  shall  mean  the  twelve  month period for which the owner or
 owners filed a federal personal income tax return, or if no such  return
 is filed, the calendar year. Where title is vested in either the husband
 or the wife, their combined income may not exceed such sum, except where
 the husband or wife, or ex-husband or ex-wife is absent from the proper-

 S. 772--A                           3
 
 ty due to divorce, legal separation or abandonment, then only the income
 of  the spouse or ex-spouse residing on the property shall be considered
 and may not exceed such sum. Such income shall include  social  security
 and  retirement  benefits, interest, dividends, total gain from the sale
 or exchange of a capital asset which may be offset by a  loss  from  the
 sale  or  exchange  of  a capital asset in the same income tax year, net
 rental income, salary or earnings, and net income from  self-employment,
 but shall not include a return of capital, gifts, inheritances or monies
 earned  through employment in the federal foster grandparent program and
 any such income shall be offset by all  medical  and  prescription  drug
 expenses  actually  paid which were not reimbursed or paid for by insur-
 ance, if the governing board of a municipality, after a public  hearing,
 adopts  a  local  law or resolution providing therefor. In computing net
 rental income  and  net  income  from  self-employment  no  depreciation
 deduction  shall be allowed for the exhaustion, wear and tear of real or
 personal property held for the production of income;
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.