Bonnie and I moved to Haines in 1983 with two small kids in tow. 

We bought a house for $45,000 that was nothing more than a big shack. It had single-pane windows and some walls had no insulation, but we made improvements as money and materials became available. We didn’t begrudge our elderly their tax break. 

At that time the senior exemption was for the first $150,000. There were very few, if any, houses in Haines that were worth that much. 

Forward to 2025. The senior exemption is now $300,000. From what I see listed, there aren’t many houses available for under that amount. So, the senior exemption has not kept up with inflation since 1983, let alone 1959 when it was enacted.

It appears to me that senior homeowners were cared for much better 40 years ago than they are today.