Senior citizens, be aware of a possible tax exemption
With the start of the new fiscal year, it’s a good time to remind older homeowners that they can opt out of voter-approved parcel taxes for public school districts (the majority of them in San Mateo County have them) if they so desire.
A county denizen has to be at least 65 years old and actually living in the home as primary residence. Rental properties are not eligible. Proof of one’s status is required.
If you are subject to such a tax and meet the simple criteria for an exemption, it’s usually up to you to contact your school district and request a form freeing you from the tax, if that’s your desire (many senior citizens choose to pay the tax regardless, as a sort of donation).
The San Mateo County Tax Collector’s office, which mails out tax bills annually, provides a reminder of this potential benefit, but its website contains links to only two of the many districts that have current parcel taxes on the books, Burlingame Elementary and San Mateo-foster Elementary.
A spokesman for the Tax Collector’s office said last week that he did not know why the rest of the districts were not included on the website.
Still, the onus is on the senior homeowner to be aware of the exemption and take advantage of it.
Exorcism for S.F.?
Peninsula residents can only look on with curiosity and, perhaps, a bit of bemusement as their larger neighbor to the north struggles with a series of nettlesome issues, many of its own making, that seem to have grown in intensity over the last several years.
Whether it’s public defecation/urination, discarded needles, sprawling homeless encampments, property crimes, failing infrastructure, escalating fines and fees, traffic gridlock, anger at ride-hailing firms or any number of other nagging problems, San Francisco has become a national media municipal target for negative commentary as an example of urban dysfunction.
It’s not pretty. But a suggestion for possible help may be available in, of all places, Colombia.
A troubled town there, Buenaventura, has been the beneficiary of a community-wide exorcism performed by its diligent Catholic bishop, determined to address the community’s violence, criminal gangs, drugs, death and general mayhem.
So why not give this a try in the city of St. Francis? Hey, it can’t hurt. Then again, there is no guarantee the S.F. authorities would grant a local bishop a permit for such a faith-based exercise. Heaven help us? Maybe not.
Academic dining
Outdoor dining is all the rage throughout much of the Peninsula these clear (on the bayside) and sunny days. Municipal downtown business districts are rife with such opportunities.
But there is one splendid spot for alfresco eating that you may not be aware of: The College of San Mateo.
When it’s open for business and serving customers, the school’s food service operation at its sparkling College Center (located on the east side of the hilltop campus) provides the option of chowing down out on the terrace overlooking much of the Bay Area. The view is stunning.