I find a story coming out of Greenburgh, N.Y. very disturbing.

Not only are some seniors citizens there having to do a reverse mortgage to pay their bills, but now aging  people are having to work for the city in order to receive property tax discounts.

Greenburgh's program  lets seniors work starting at $7 per hour to help pay off their property taxes.

Why $7 per hour?  I know  of some illegal immigrants who get $8 just for showing up.

These aging seniors are located in Westchester County, which rates #3 in the nation for highest property taxes.  But has the whole concept of property taxes gone much too far? Should we reconsider  max- taxing our elderly?

Don't get me wrong.  I think it's great for aging seniors to work.  In fact, I highly recommend it.  Once many older people stop working, they lose a lot of their interests.  But I think work at older ages should be purely voluntary and enjoyable.  In other words they work if they want to and they get paid well if they want to receive money for their labors.

What I find dishearting is the example of Audrey Davison, 76, who lives alone, gets paid $620 in Social Security each month, and has to take a job as a receptionist for the city mainly for the purpose of  paying off  her property taxes.  And that's when she can work on her good days.  Audrey suffers from arthritis and  sciatica and has to have a walker. 

The city's point of view is these aging seniors would be forced to move out if they can't pay their taxes.  So instead of giving them a tax break they give them a job.

Something's not right with that.  

What do you think?

Read Plan Would Let Seniors Work to Pay Taxes

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