If you are an Arizona resident for the entire year, and you are 65 or older, or you received Supplemental Social Security Title 16 payments during the year, you may be able to claim a property tax credit when you file your annual Arizona state income tax return. You can also claim the credit even if you do not have to file a state income tax return. The maximum credit is $502 if your household income is $1,750 or less for the year and you live alone or $2,500 or less if you live with your spouse or another person. The credit decreases proportionately as your level of household income increases, up to a maximum of $3,751 if you live alone or $5,501 if you live with your spouse or another person.

For purposes of this property tax credit your household income does not include social security benefits, railroad retirement benefits, workers’ compensation loss of time insurance payments, Arizona unemployment benefits, veteran’s disability pensions, welfare or other relief from a governmental agency, gifts, or property tax refunds you received last year.

You can claim the property tax credit on your main home, whether you own or rent. If you lived in a nursing home in Arizona and you used your social security or other personal funds to pay the nursing home you can qualify for the credit. You also qualify if you were a shareholder of a cooperative corporation or member of a condominium association in Arizona and the unit you own was your main home.

How to claim the credit

To claim the property tax credit you need to complete Arizona Form 140PTC, Property Tax Refund (Claim). You can download the form and instructions on the Arizona Department of Revenue website. You should attach the completed Form 140PTC to your Arizona income tax return, using either Form 140 or Form 140A. If you do not have to file an Arizona income tax return you can claim the property tax refund by mailing Form 140PTC to: Arizona Department of Revenue, PO Box 52138, Phoenix, AZ 85072-2138.

You need to attach certain documents to Form 140PTC to claim the credit or refund. You must attach a statement from the Social Security Administration showing your name and address, social security number, the Title 16 SSI payments you received or are due to receive and the period they cover, and the date the Social Security Administration issued the statement. You must also attach a copy of a statement showing the property taxes you paid during for the year. This can be a copy of the property tax statement from your mortgage company, a tax bill stamped “Paid” by your county treasurer, or your property tax bill with copies of the front and back of your canceled checks.

If you rent your property you should attach Arizona Form 201, Renter’s Certificate of Property Taxes Paid. You must get this form from your landlord. Form 201 can be downloaded from the Arizona Department of Revenue website. If you own a mobile home but rent the space you should file Form 140PTC as a renter and attach a Form 201 that you complete yourself, along with a statement of your property taxes. If you live in a nursing home you should request Form 201 from the nursing home administrator. If you are a shareholder of a cooperative corporation or a member of a condominium association you must attach a statement that shows your share of the assessed property taxes.

If you pay your property taxes in two installments, you should report on Form 140PTC the taxes you actually paid during the year. This may include an installment for the previous year and an installment for the current year.

Only one property tax credit is allowed per household each year. If someone else in your household claims the credit, you would not be eligible for it.

Sources:

“Is there any special tax relief for seniors?” - Law for Seniors

“Pima County Tax Relief“, Green Valley Arizona

“Property Tax Refund (Claim) Instructions” - Arizona Department of Revenue

“Property tax relief for seniors in Arizona” - Paul B. Bartlett, P.C.

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Where many folks fantasize about giving up their day job and becoming best-selling authors instead, Brenth Ghelfi has kept his day job and also become a best-selling author.

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Part-time writer finds big-time success - North County Times

At midnight on Saturday, February 1st, my mother woke me up and said, “Get up, a tornado is coming within 15 minutes.” I jumped out of bed and put my shoes on, gathered my five year old daughter, and equipped her with a walkie-talkie and bicycle helmet. I put her in a fetal position in the hallway of our house, where there weren’t any windows. My mom crouched in her bedroom closet, leaving the weather channel on the television.

While my daughter and I crouched in the hallway with a swelling sea of blankets, stuffed alligator pillows, and a pile of comforters around us, we could hear the weather man pointing out that the tornado was right over our area. A couple of minutes later, we heard the rain coming down harder. We braced ourselves. We waited. Soon, the rain died down, and we heard the weather man saying that the tornado had passed, but that another one was on the way. Then, we heard the loud buzz of the weather warning service. The second tornado was soon approaching. The weather man told us that if we heard heavy rain, not to look to see the tornado, or it might be too late. He said that mobile home residents needed to take cover now, and that it may even be safer for them to lay on the ground outside rather than staying in their homes. As he said this, the pitter-patter of rain that had previously been tapping and rapping at our window sills at a steady rhythm began pounding on our roof. It sounded as though a waterfall was dumping on our house. We braced ourselves, but nothing happened. Fortunately for us, they were funnel clouds that had not touched ground. They were there, right over us, but they weren’t tornadoes.

As that ominous red blob on the weather RADAR passed the geographical nomenclature describing our home town on a weather map, I finally felt a rush of wind: my uncontrollable sigh of relief. Looking at the weather maps, it seemd the worst of it was over. The next day; however, I found out that we were more than lucky. Houses in nearby areas to the south of where I lived were destroyed. People were injured, and sadly, people died. I felt a sense of guilt, knowing I was bracing for a storm that so many people were completely unaware was coming to their locations.

And then, it occured to me that had a tornado actually touched down in my area, it would have most definately destroyed our home, for it was a mobile home. Would I have sent my family-my five year old daughter to certain death by staying in that house? Surely, this house, with attached porches, additional rooms, wood siding, and all the works, didn’t fit into the descrition of a traditional “mobile home.” Those news people were talking about single-wides and travel trailors, right?

I decided to write to the Flagler County Emergency Operations Center to clarify whether such a home would be dangerous. Bob Pickering, an Emergency Management technician reminded me that “In the 1998 outbreak there were 42 people killed in tornados and every one was in a mobile home or vehicle.” As to whether or not the security of additional rooms and porches or size of the home matters in making it safer, he said, ” It matters not how they are secured in this type of event, the structure is just not made to withstand those types of conditions.”

Pickering’s advice for moblie home residents (in his own words):

1. See if there are any neighbors nearby that they can go to during a tornado threat.
2. Have a NOAA Weather Alert Radio to get warnings as quickly as possible. They alert and give the fastest warning for any sever weather event that warnings are issued.
3. Do a survey of the local land area and see if there are any lower laying areas nearby that are not flooded. I know that can be a challenge.
4. The only other thing I can think of is look into building some sort of small concrete building as a shelter. This is an expensive option but will offer a shelter.
5. AGAIN with the above info develop an emergency plan.

I found this information to be particularly useful considering most tornado warnings only give about a 10-15 minute lead time, and the nearest shelter to where we live is a 15 minute drive from here.

I also want to suggest that if you live in a community that is at least 10 minutes from a shelter, consider working with your county or community officials to designate or build an appropriate shelter for mobile home residents.

Motorcycles were developed towards the end of the 19^th century after a single combustion engine was applied to an ordinary bicycle. By the early 1900s the motorbike had achieved notoriety on the racing circuit and hundreds of small manufacturers, including Douglas, Indian, and Royal Enfield, joined this thriving industry.

Today the stage is dominated largely by the Japanese, but for a while the best road bikes in the world were made in Britain. Triumph’s Bonneville, named after the Utah salt flats where Johnny Allen broke the world speed record in 1955, was produced in various forms from 1959 to 1989, and was the transport of choice for leather-clad “Ton-up-boys” in the early 1960s.

BSA (Birmingham Small Arms Manufacturing) was the world’s largest manufacturer of bikes after World War Two. BSA’s Lightning and Spitfire, along with the 1952 Vincent Black Shadow, typify the classic Brit bike, while the BSA Gold Star was popular with race riders in the 1950s.

Norton also cleaned up on the racing circuit; their bikes won the Isle of Man TT repeatedly during the 1930s and 1940s. The Commando was the speed merchant’s favourite between the late 1960s and the mid 1970s, and was voted “Machine of the Year” five times in succession.

Japan burst onto the scene in the 1970s, and bikes such as Kawasaki’s Triple and the 1980 Suzuki Katana turned more than a few heads in their day. Japanese bikes were initially derided by purists, but owner clubs for 1980s Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki are well subscribed nowadays.

The scooter was an Italian phenomenon, which surfaced shortly after World War Two. With old production lines ravaged, the Piaggio Company came up with an economic two-wheeled vehicle aimed at both men and women that became known as the Vespa (Italian for wasp).

The Vespa GS 150 VS5 is one of the most sought-after models today. Built in the late 1950s, it features elegant styling with sporty 150cc engine. Innocenti’s Lambretta was soon to join Piaggio in a post-war light motorcycle boom. Early models were crude and workmanlike, but the 1962 Lambretta Li series lll marked an important shift towards scooter design. These sold in large numbers and were a huge commercial success for the company.

Harder to find in top condition are the Lambretta TV and SX series. These are the first production bikes to be fitted with front disk brakes. The later SX model (1966-9) had improved styling with a speedo dial that went up to 90mph. Scooter fans collect practically anything to do with the Vespa or Lambretta name, including old advertising, owner manuals, club memorabilia, and pennants.

Despite obvious limitations on the road, miniature bikes such as the Honda Monkey and its successor the Dax attract growing interest from collectors. There is even a custom mini bike scene, especially in Japan.

Known as the Monkey for making riders appear simian, the Honda CZ100 was the first Japanese mini bike to be exported in the early 1960s. With tiny 50cc engine and 5 inch tyres, it was meant as a fun beginners bike that could be stored in car, truck, or mobile home.

The Dax, which didn’t reach Europe until 1970, came with a bigger 70cc engine and had a seat designed for two. Many colour and design variations appeared before Honda stopped production in the late 1990s.

Buying a classic bike or scooter requires similar principles to classic car buying, so subscribe to specialist magazines, improve your knowledge, and, if necessary, join a members club. Before paying out check all the relevant paperwork. Fakes and reproductions (especially with old BSAs) are common. Be particularly suspicious if the engine and frame serial numbers don’t match.

Coolest Buy

Of the classic American machines, Harley-Davidson (and to a lesser extent Indian) are the only names that really interest the collector. Harleys were ridden long and hard by the original Hell’s Angels in the 1940s and 1950s and starred in the 1969 film Easy Rider. Today, “the hog” epitomizes a somewhat safer rock ‘n’ roll rebellion.

Rare examples can fetch as much as £100,000 and unlike some makes they hold their value extremely well. The Electra Glide captures the best of the classic post-war Harleys; trademark V-twin engine, white-walled tyres, cushioned long-haul saddle, and enough chrome to dazzle a Ray-Ban wearing traffic cop.

Ducati-Italian For Super Bike

With their unrivalled European sports pedigree and talented in house designer Fabio Taglioni, Ducati introduced the world to Italian super bikes.

The four stroke 750SS, launched in 1976, competed with the best of the new Japanese super bikes and could notch 140mph.

This stunning bike’s racing credentials were further enhanced when Mike Hailwood came out of retirement to win the Isle of Man TT on a tuned version.

Manufactured housing has taken a huge hit in the current recession along with traditional site-built homes, but the industry shows some signs of recovery even though a return to normal could still be a year or more away. The majority of the Tennessee …

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Mobile home sales dip during downturn - Daily News Journal

LEWES — Both candidates for the 37th House District seat declared Friday that they would not vote to raise taxes if elected, with the Democratic nominee accusing the Republicans of trying to scare the public over the issue. Taxes and state spending …

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37th rivals both vow no tax hike - Delaware Online

CHARLESTON — In the wake of a North Charleston fire that killed two children this week, state Rep.

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Fires spur call for smoke detectors - The Sun News

If Henry Ford had built houses, his factory might look like Cavco Industries’ Phoenix plant, where workers assemble modular homes that are trucked throughout five Southwestern states. At this job site, the staccato pops of nail guns resonate as …

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Prefab homes continue to evolve - Arizona Business Gazette

Why consider used mobile homes? My own first home was a mobile on a small lot. I bought it for $19,500. With the mortgage payments it was still cheaper than renting, plus I paid it off quickly and later sold it for $45,000. Obviously you can live cheap and build equity with a mobile home. (Buying may be the equivalent of cheap rent, but this article is about mobiles that are on real estate.)

The primary advantages of mobiles over traditional houses are clear for first time home buyers. It may be the only option, for starters. Then there is the lower initial price, the simpler, cheaper maintenance, lower monthly payments, less property tax, lower insurance cost, and perhaps even faster equity build-up (I explain this in another article). Mobile homes do have their own unique problems, so be sure to watch for the following.

Problems With Used Mobile Homes

Sometimes the age of a mobile home makes it tough to finance. If it can be financed, it may be at a very high interest rate. Check into this before making an offer, and take the higher payments into account when comparing your options.

The age of is also a big factor when it comes to insurance. Certain older homes may just be uninsurable. See if you can obtain insurance at a reasonable rate before buying.

Some mobile homes built before 1976 have aluminum wiring. This is a fire hazard because the chemical reaction between the aluminum and other metals cause the wiring to break down, eventually leading to sparking inside the walls (not good). Remove any of the electrical outlet or switch covers, and look inside with a flashlight. If the bare ends of the wires are silvery looking, they are probably aluminum, and you may have to rewire the home to get it insured.

Look for stains on the ceilings. Used mobile homes are prone to leaks. If it is raining and the stains are dry, the leaks have probably been repaired, but if there are many dark stains, at least ask for how long the roof leaked. Leaks that were quickly repaired may not have done much, if any, damage to the supporting beams, but if the roof is seriously sagging there may be rotten wood up there.

Look for wavy walls and crooked door frames. If the mobile is irregularly settling, the walls will sometimes show it. It may also show in the door frames, so see if the gap over the doors is straight in relation to the frame.

Check for spongy floors. Many mobiles have particle-board for floors. If these floors get wet, they can warp and rot. Step down hard here and there to test, especially in the bathroom. I’ve had to rebuild two bathroom floors in mobile homes. Around the toilet is a common place to find problems, because of the condensation from the toilet running down and soaking the wood around it. Is the toilet level or leaning?

Most of these problems can be resolved, and for much less than in a traditional house, so if there are issues, you may want to see them as an opportunity to make a lower offer. Alternately, you can just avoid the mobiles with problems. In any case, don’t give up on owning your own home due to high prices. Just look for good used mobile homes.

Victims of Hurricane Katrina victims have finnally been issued mobile homes by FEMA so that they have a semi-permanent dwelling in the flood destroyed and damaged neighborhoods of New Orleans, LA. Unfortunately, the mobile homes issued contain extremely toxic levels of formaldehyde. Formaldehyde, otherwise known colloquially as ‘embalming fluid’, is a chemical that retards or inhibits the growth of mold in products.

There are two types of formaldehyde compounds used in building: Urea-formaldehyde (UF): urea is a the toxic chemical contained in urine. Phenol-formaldehyde (PF) is another form. Both are resinous and are elements in combustion, according to the EPA (Environmentally Protection Agency). They are highly toxic, although PF is somewhat less toxic. Improperly vented fossil-fuel (natural gas, propane, kerosene) burning appliances emit formaldehyde as well. Some foods contain traces of formaldehyde also; BHA and BHT are preservatives used in packaged baked goods and cereals.

Mobile homes, trailers or pre-fabricated homes are routinely treated with formaldehyde to prevent mold from growing in the structures as they sit, closed waiting for occupancy. Because a modular home sits closed up and vacant, the wood cabinets will mold if not treated. The modular units sent to New Orleans flood victims were probably older models that did not sell as well. Because they were new and unused, they probably have sat vacant for several years. The longer a unit sits used, the more concentrated the fumes become and the stronger the formaldehyde smell becomes. Additionally, the fumes become more toxic in the summer heat and humidity.

Formaldehyde is also used heavily in products made from pressed wood or particle board also. Particle board is basically pressed sawdust. Mold and mildew will form more easily in products made from particle board. Cabinets, counter tops, cupboards, wall board and furnishings that are mass produced routinely use particle board because it is cheap. Of course mobile home manufacturers depend almost exclusively particle board.

In our first years of married life, we lived in a mobile home. As our family grew, we shopped for larger models of mobile homes. The modular homes we visited always had warning signs posted, describing the formaldehyde dangers. We had to move quickly through the home tours, because the smell was so overpowering. It is an acrid harsh odor that makes your eyes water and throat constrict. The formaldehyde toxin burns all the respiratory openings in the body (nose and mouth). Several of our children had to wait with me outside because they felt physically ill. As we left the mobile home lot and for sometime afterwords, we all felt dizzy and nauseous. The manufacturers claimed that once the structure was opened and used, the odors would dissipate and be ‘less toxic’.

We’ve known for years about the dangers of formaldehyde. We’ve also known about it’s toxic levels in mobile homes; our mobile home tour was back in 1996, so that is at least 12 years ago. So why was this hazard not addressed before sending these trailers to the flood victims who have already suffered so much?

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