The public heard the “lower property taxes” refrain from most candidates in the last election cycle — both at the local and state levels. In fact, voters made it clear that property tax is a big concern. Property-tax increases have, in recent years, hit most homeowners in the state, but low- and fixed-income citizens have felt the pain of increasing assessments most acutely.Now it appears our elected officials are going to follow through on their pledges of property tax relief. This week, the Joint Revenue Interim Committee considered several proposals and voted to endorse a bill that, according to the Associated Press, will cut property taxes for nearly 157,000 homeowners.According to the story, lawmakers still anticipate considering several other proposals when the Legislature convenes in January. The bill being endorsed by the interim committee would save people, who have owned their homes for at least three years, an average of $256 a year.Next month, our entire legislative body will have the burden of weighing which plan will help the people who most need it — low-income homeowners and elderly people living on fixed incomes. These are the people who may not be able to afford to keep their homes unless they get some tax relief. Helping them should be the top priority, and it seems lawmakers are off to a good start.

The public heard the “lower property taxes” refrain from most candidates in the last election cycle — both at the local and state levels.

In fact, voters made it clear that property tax is a big concern. Property-tax increases have, in recent years, hit most homeowners in the state, but low- and fixed-income citizens have felt the pain of increasing assessments most acutely.

Now it appears our elected officials are going to follow through on their pledges of property tax relief. This week, the Joint Revenue Interim Committee considered several proposals and voted to endorse a bill that, according to the Associated Press, will cut property taxes for nearly 157,000 homeowners.

According to the story, lawmakers still anticipate considering several other proposals when the Legislature convenes in January.

The bill being endorsed by the interim committee would save people, who have owned their homes for at least three years, an average of $256 a year.

Next month, our entire legislative body will have the burden of weighing which plan will help the people who most need it — low-income homeowners and elderly people living on fixed incomes. These are the people who may not be able to afford to keep their homes unless they get some tax relief. Helping them should be the top priority, and it seems lawmakers are off to a good start.