Seniors
urged to apply for Circuit Breaker grant by Saturday
Program
ends July 1
Visit
www.cbrx.il.gov or call Senior
HelpLine at 1-800-252-8966
Send a link to a friend
[June 25, 2012]
SPRINGFIELD
-- Illinois Department on Aging Director John K. Holton,
Ph.D., is reminding Illinois seniors about their last chance to get
approved for Circuit Breaker property tax grants before the program
ends July 1. The Circuit Breaker program provides grants to eligible
seniors and people with disabilities to help them reduce the costs
of property taxes, license plate renewals and rides on public
transit. After June 30, property tax grants will no longer be
available. The General Assembly did not appropriate funds for
Circuit Breaker property tax grants for fiscal 2013.
|
The department mailed more than 120,000 letters notifying people
that if they apply for Circuit Breaker on or after July 1, only the
license plate discount, Seniors Ride Free and Disabled Ride Free
benefits will continue to be processed. The property tax grant and
Illinois Cares Rx pharmaceutical assistance are no longer available.
"We're sorry to see the end of the Circuit Breaker program," said
Holton. "But we remain committed to working with older adults during
these challenging times. Pending applications will continue to be
processed for eligibility on a first-come basis through June 30,
2012, and, of course, subject to funding for the rest of this
current fiscal year."
Since time is of the essence for seniors to apply for Circuit
Breaker to receive property tax grants for use through the 2012
calendar year, seniors and people with disabilities are urged to
apply online because it is the fastest way to get approved. Paper
applications take longer, but people who get their applications in
the mail -- postmarked by June 30 (Saturday) -- will have their
applications processed.
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To be eligible for the Circuit
Breaker property tax grant, license plate discount and Ride Free
Transit card through the end of the 2012 calendar year, your total
income in 2011 must have been less than:
-
$27,610 for a
household of one.
-
$36,635 for a
household of two.
-
$45,657 for a household of three.
People who have already applied by submitting their 2011
Application Form IL-1363, do not have to reapply.
For more information about program services to assist older
adults in Illinois and their caregivers, call the IDoA Senior
HelpLine at 1-800-252-8966, or for TTY (hearing-impaired use only),
call 1-888-206-1327.
[Text from
Illinois
Department on Aging received from the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information] |