Will their income be taxed? If so, then at $7 per hour doing part time work it’s gonna take a while to scrape enough up to cover taxes. Plus, it takes a job away from a younger worker. If it were me, I wouldn’t do it.

it makes me sad to see old people forced to work during retirement. I don’t want to have too. I want an rv and no cares in the world. Hopefully I can afford it when our dollar is worthless. Of course if retired people are just looking to keep themselves occupied, then whatever nets them the best income would be great I think. And the prez already bailed out other people who couldn’t pay their mortgages, so why not property tax. I don’t think retirees should be taxed on their social security or personal property…of course I also believe that their shouldn’t be a federal income tax so I’m kind of one-sided on taxes.

If someone can’t pay their taxes and they want to work it off, let them. If nothing else it keeps their minds and bodies working at a time in their life when studies clearly show that doing such things improves their quality of life and keeps their facilties sharper than if they sit around all day and watch The Price Is Right.

The basic requirments for anyone, including the aged is, is food, clothing, and SHELTER. Government should not be allowed to tax elderly out of their homes. Why do we want them on another dole called Section 8 rentals? Section 8 recipients get as much from the government, or more than they pay in propery taxes.

I would suggest the elderly retirees pay a percentage of their “fixed income” such as social security, ralroad retirement, government retirement, etc. for property taxes in the home they live in.

Use a similar formula to the way people who live in “low income housing” are charged rent. The less they earn, the less they pay.

Forcing the elderly to work for $7.00 an hour, to pay taxes on the home, is borderline involuntary servitude.

I am no bleeding heart liberal, but there is no common sense in taking homes from the elderly by taxing them out of it.

I would suggest that at the year of retirement, that taxes be frozen on the retiree’s home, so as to give him/her/them a sense of security.

This has nothing to do with the young, who have contributed nothing to society, but reap more financial reqards than the elderly.

I think it’s a horrible concept! If a person has saleable skills and wants a part-time job in retirement, they can find something on their own that pays more than 7 bucks an hour. But they shouldn’t have to work just for the privilege of staying in their own home. And let’s face it…we’re not talking about making ends meet when you’re a “young and healthy” 65 year old. Taxes are until you die. Not every 75 year old is an Ironman competitor. So if you’re physically not able to work in the government social services program, you should get kicked out of your home for non-payment of taxes???

I kind of like johnh’s idea of taxing the elderly along the same lines as the Section 8 program–after all, in both cases we’re talking about the finanaces of someone on a limited income.

By the way, not every retiree sits around all day and watches TV. For many of us, retirement is the chance to do all the things you’ve always wanted to do but never had time for. That can range from volunteer activities in an area of personal interest to writing the Great American novel. Hardly mind-rotting activities….

I think anyone, regardless of age, should be able to take part in such a program. After all, aren’t we all pretty much on a “fixed income”?
I think when we wrap this around the tag of “elderly” everyone is up in arms because it could be their parents, or God forbid, themselves in a few years. (And let’s not forget, politicians love these programs because older people vote in higher percentages.) But what about the single homeowner who is the sole income provider/tax payer? What if that same person was a parent to 2-3 younger kids?
I believe such programs should be open to anyone willing to participate. At the same time, we should be studying why this is happening–the same we did with the foreclosure onslaught.

Oh Dear Lord,

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but… I agree with johnh.

The ugly truth that nobody seems ready to address here is that if a person CAN’T retire because of taxes, then they are far too high.

If a person works and contributes their entire life, then when they are older they should be able to retire with some sense of security and peace.

Nobody should be forced marched into a McDonald’s are, God forbid a Walmart just to pay the taxes on their homes.

Something is fundamentally wrong with our country when we don’t see anything wrong with this. This means that - in effect - you can never truly own your own property - only rent it from the government until such time as they decide you’re not paying enough for it. Then they can throw you out.

That’s terrible.

Mac
http://www.brownsludge.com

Just maybe…if workers were paid decent wages and were provide resonable benefits for 47 years of labor, they wouldn’t find themselves working at Wal-Mart on their 75th birthday to pay for Republican tax-cuts intended for people like Paris Hilton.

I am saving my money now so I do not get in this situation. But for the poor planners out there, I think if they want to and are able to work why not.

A retired person that must work to pay property taxes isn’t a retired person.