Thousands are missing out on utility refund
4:43 p.m. Thursday, August 28, 2008
More than 6,000 Topekans are eligible to receive a refund on their utility bills.
For evidence of the demand for the refund, we listened to County Commissioner Vic Miller's voicemail. Miller recently sent out a flyer telling residents who were eligible about the city's utility franchise fee refund. Today, he had 34 new voice messages; that's in addition to the more than 200 he received over the weekend.
Application information
Interested parties have to fill out the application form and qualify for the Homestead refund to receive the City of Topeka utility franchise fee refund.
Download a PDF application form for the City of Topeka utility franchise fee
Download a PDF application form for the State of Kansas Homestead Property Tax Refund
Read a PDF of Topeka's city ordinance regarding the utility franchise fee refund.
"It was a sad success, a success in that I have page after page after page of people who have called," he said.
Applicants must meet one of these requirements:
- Over the age of 55
- Must be a Kansas resident in 2007
- Individuals who are blind or disabled qualify
- A total household income of less than $29,000 a year
- People with dependent children living at home
Miller discovered 7,000 Topekans applied for the Homestead refund, but didn't apply for the utility refund available to those who qualify for the Homestead refund.
"Only about 500 of them when I first checked had bothered to file for a franchise fee refund for the City of Topeka. That means there's a gap of over 6,000 people," Miller said.
You must have applied for the Homestead refund to be eligible for the utility refund. That deadline is April 15, and the utility deadline is November 5.
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