West Haven Mayor Nancy R. Rossi, center, pauses with William and Dorothy McCarthy after delivering valentines to the First Avenue couple as part of the city’s 32nd annual Valentine’s Day event Friday. The McCarthys, who have been married for 72 years, were among 30 married couples of at least 50 years honored by Rossi during the pandemic-safe celebration. They were the event’s oldest couple. (City Photo/Tom J. McCarthy)

Rossi delivers valentines to couples married 50 years

WEST HAVEN, Feb. 14, 2022 — In a time still dominated by the coronavirus, Mayor Nancy R. Rossi lifted spirits — again — by delivering valentines to 30 married couples of 50 years and more during the city’s 32nd annual Valentine’s Day event Friday.

First Avenue residents William and Dorothy McCarthy, who have been married for 72 years, were among the West Haven couples honored by Rossi three days before Valentine’s Day.

During the pandemic-safe celebration, Rossi drove to each home and gave each couple a blue tote bag emblazoned with a white West Haven seal and filled with congratulatory gifts.

For three decades, the city had recognized those sweethearts who reached the half-century mark and beyond with a Valentine’s Day party featuring entertainment, dancing and refreshments.

But like last year, this year was different because of COVID-19. Pandemic or not, Rossi was once again determined to keep the city’s Valentine’s Day tradition going.

Without skipping a beat, Rossi, with help from the Department of Elderly Services, planned an alternative event that celebrated the holiday of love from the safety of couples’ homes — all the while playing Cupid and delivering gift bags to the happy couples in an otherwise trying time.

“The City with a Heart” tote bags were donated by Westies Win, a nonprofit fundraising group, and were assembled by the University of New Haven Mayor’s Advisory Commission, a collaborative, student-driven task force founded in 2015 to strengthen town-gown relations.

Each insulated bag contained a red rose, a bottle of sparkling wine, a salami and provolone snack pack, and a centennial coin, lapel pin and decal. Each bag also included two bottles of bug spray, face masks and two bottles of hand sanitizer donated by the Health Department, along with valentines made by Girl Scout Troop 60298 and snacks donated by the Democratic and Republican town committees.

Rossi also presented the McCarthys, the event’s oldest married couple, and the youngest couple, Savin Avenue residents David and Deborah Latella, 50 years, with a bottle of sparkling wine and a gift-wrapped pendant necklace courtesy of Leslie Jewelers.

‘Fraud Alert’ notifies property owners of new transactions

‘Fraud Alert’ notifies West Haven property owners of new transactions

WEST HAVEN, Feb. 14, 2022 — The city clerk’s office is providing a new tool to help property owners protect one of their most valuable assets.

City Clerk Patricia C. Horvath said property owners can sign up for Fraud Alert to receive alerts whenever a document, such as a deed, mortgage or lien, is recorded under their name.

Sign up for free at Fraud Alert.

“This is an easy way for homeowners to have peace of mind,” Horvath said.

Horvath noted that because other West Haven property owners may share the same name, “this new tool adds additional protection to your property.”

Property owners can view documents online or in the clerk’s office on the first floor of City Hall, 355 Main St.

Dell offers new team member discount program

Dell offers West Haven employees new team member discount program

WEST HAVEN, Feb. 14, 2022 — Because of West Haven’s ongoing relationship with Dell, the city is pleased to announce that Dell has extended discounting on consumer PCs to all West Haven employees and their families and friends.

Member benefits include:

· Exclusive monthly offers.

· Best-price guarantee on consumer PCs from Dell.

· Up to 30% off Dell PCs, electronics and accessories.

· Free enrollment in the Dell Rewards Loyalty Program: 3% back, plus free expedited shipping.

· Military and veterans receive an additional 10% discount.

· White-glove quoting from the MPP Executive Sales Team upon request — please provide member ID: 132940501.

All member discounts are built into the site, and members are not required to log in or use any codes to qualify for discounts.

All offers below will be available on West Haven’s exclusive MPP Page.

MPP Upcoming Offers:

President’s Day Early Access: Feb. 14-17.
President’s Day Main Event: Feb. 17-21.
Semiannual Sale: March 10-23.
MPP Flash Sale: April 19-20.

For questions or concerns about the program, contact MPP Strategic Account Manager Bria Simmons at bria_simmons@dell.com.

West Haven taxpayers can appeal property assessments

Taxpayers can appeal property assessments in West Haven

WEST HAVEN, Feb. 2, 2022 — The Board of Assessment Appeals will hear appeals of real estate and personal property assessments on the 2021 grand list by appointment during March.

The board will also hear appeals of motor vehicle assessments on the 2020 supplemental motor vehicle grand list that received a tax bill due Jan. 1.

Any property owner who wants to appeal an assessment must submit a written application to the board. The assessor’s office must receive the completed form on or before Feb. 20.

Download an Application.

Applications are also available in the assessor’s office on the first floor of City Hall, 355 Main St., or by calling the office at 203-937-3515. Staff members will answer questions about the appeal process.

Tax relief programs for elderly, disabled homeowners offered

WEST HAVEN, Feb. 2, 2022 — The assessor’s office is accepting applications by appointment for tax relief programs for elderly and disabled homeowners.

West Haven residents can apply for the programs, based on their 2021 incomes, weekdays from Feb. 15-May 13 in the assessor’s office on the first floor of City Hall, 355 Main St. For an appointment, call 203-937-3515.

The state offers a tax reduction benefit depending on income and marital status through the circuit breaker program. To qualify, the applicant or spouse must be 65 or older by Dec. 31, 2021, or permanently and totally disabled as defined by Social Security.

Income limits, including Social Security, are $46,400 for a married couple and $38,100 for a single person.

To qualify for the West Haven senior tax freeze program, the applicant must be age 70 by Dec. 31, 2021, and have lived in the city for at least 20 consecutive years. The program will freeze the city portion of the resident’s taxes only for the upcoming year.

Income limits, excluding Social Security, are $50,000 for a married couple and $35,000 for a single person. Those eligible for the program must reapply each year.

The assessor’s office is also accepting applications until Oct. 1 for additional veterans exemptions. The maximum income is $46,400 for a married applicant and $38,100 for a single applicant.

West Haven Mayor Nancy R. Rossi, center, is joined by New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker at the West Haven Community House on Feb. 2 to promote the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, an initiative of the IRS that offers free tax help to people who need assistance preparing tax returns. With them are, from left, Jennifer Heath, the president and CEO of the United Way of Greater New Haven; Amy Guay-Macfarlane, the executive director of the Community House; and Takima Robinson, the director of asset building programs at the Connecticut Association for Human Services, which coordinates the VITA campaign in the state. (City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)

Free tax preparation program touted by Rossi, Elicker

WEST HAVEN, Feb. 2, 2022 — West Haven Mayor Nancy R. Rossi and New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker joined members of the Connecticut Association for Human Services at the West Haven Community House on Feb. 2 to promote a free federal tax preparation program and raise awareness of the Connecticut Earned Income Tax Credit.

At the tax season kickoff, Rossi and Elicker touted the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, an initiative of the IRS that offers free tax help to people who need assistance preparing tax returns, including those who make $58,000 or less, people with disabilities and limited English-speaking taxpayers.

The event was sponsored by the Greater New Haven Family Economic Security Coalition and CAHS, which coordinates the VITA campaign in Connecticut.

Rossi and Elicker, who in their remarks complimented each other’s city initiatives, also raised awareness of the Connecticut EITC, a refundable state income tax credit for low-to-moderate-income working individuals and families. The state credit has been increased to 41.5% of the federal EITC for this tax season, officials noted.

The event’s other speakers were CAHS CEO John Merz, IRS Senior Tax Consultant Ron Peruzzi, IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service Manager Karen Mayer, Community House Executive Director Amy Guay-Macfarlane, Jennifer Heath, the president and CEO of the United Way of Greater New Haven, and Takima Robinson, the director of asset building programs at CAHS.

“At the completion of last year’s tax season, the CAHS CT VITA Coalition assisted over 10,000 taxpayers, resulting in $16 million in federal refunds and $3 million in EITC,” Merz said. “We are thrilled with those results, and we are pleased to be able to again offer qualified families and individuals free tax preparation and filing during this upcoming tax season.

“This is an important service and offers a significant savings to those who are challenged by the extra expense of tax preparation. In addition to free tax services, CAHS also offers educational programs that help build long-lasting financial stability.”

Rossi, a certified public accountant, added: “Tax assistance and financial education are both crucial in a time like this, particularly when the COVID-19 pandemic has created financial strains in our communities. The VITA program is critical in ensuring that low-to-moderate-income families properly file their taxes and get their deserved tax refunds.”

Rossi continued: “The Connecticut Association for Human Services is working hard in collaboration with Code for America to ensure that our residents get necessary tax services while staying safe during the spread of the omicron variant. I am deeply appreciative of all our trained volunteers and our funders who make this program possible, and I urge all who are eligible to sign up. I strongly support this initiative and the value it brings to the Greater New Haven area.”

Last year, trained IRS-certified VITA volunteers in Greater New Haven prepared more than 2,700 tax returns, returning $5.1 million in state and federal refunds to local families and over $930,000 in federal Earned Income Tax Credits, which officials said may have otherwise gone unclaimed.

To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, CAHS will continue its partnership with Code for America to operate a VITA online service at https://www.getyourrefund.org/en. GetYourRefund.org is a nonprofit service built by Code for America, a nonpartisan, nonpolitical charitable organization, in partnership with IRS-certified VITA sites nationwide.

The VITA online service offers the same quality services as in-person VITA sites. Taxpayers can answer intake questions and upload tax documents at https://www.getyourrefund.org/en.

Trained IRS-certified VITA volunteers will remotely prepare tax returns, speak with taxpayers to review them and file the returns with taxpayers’ consent.

For taxpayers without access or the technology to use the online service, CAHS has VITA sites in Fairfield County that offer drop-off and limited in-person services.

The Connecticut Association for Human Services, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, combines outreach into working poor communities at the neighborhood level with broad-based policy work at the state and federal levels.

Founded in 1910, CAHS is focused on helping families and children build the skills and assets they need for lasting economic success, strengthening Connecticut’s economy and improving its workforce.

CAHS, based in Hartford, is a division of Advancing Connecticut Together.

Rossi delivers remarks at the tax season kickoff at the Community House, saying, “The VITA program is critical in ensuring that low-to-moderate-income families properly file their taxes and get their deserved tax refunds.” (City Photo/Michael P. Walsh)