MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                               23

OF DISABILITY. IF THE COUNTY OR BALTIMORE CITY ADOPTS
SUCH A TAX CREDIT PROGRAM, THE MINIMUM TAX CREDIT SHALL
EQUAL 50% OF THE ASSESSED VALUE OF THE DWELLING OR
$4,000, WHICHEVER IS THE LESSER AMOUNT, MULTIPLIED BY THE
APPLICABLE COUNTY OR BALTIMORE CITY TAX RATE. IN ORDER
TO QUALIFY FOR THE TAX CREDIT A HOMEOWNER SHALL HAVE NOT
ATTAINED THE AGE OF 60 AS OF JULY 1 OF THE TAXABLE YEAR
FOR WHICH THE CREDIT IS SOUGHT; SHALL RECEIVE BENEFITS
AS A RESULT OF A FINDING OF PERMANENT AND TOTAL
DISABILITY UNDER THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT, OP UNDER THE
RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT, OR UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF
FEDERAL ACTS FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE
UNITED STATES; AND SHALL HAVE A COMBINED GROSS INCOME NOT
IN EXCESS OF $5,000 FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR IMMEDIATELY
PRECEDING THE TAXABLE YEAR FOR WHICH CREDIT IS SOUGHT.
APPLICATION FOR THIS TAX CREDIT SHALL BE AS PROVIDED IN
SECTION 49C OF THIS ARTICLE.

(B) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING WORDS
SHALL HAVE THE MEANINGS HEREIN SPECIFIED:

(1)    "HOMEOWNER" MEANS EVERY PERSON WHO ACTUALLY
RESIDES IN A DWELLING IN WHICH SUCH PERSON HAS A LEGAL
INTEREST, INCLUDING ANY LIFE ESTATE, WHETHER AS SOLE
OWNER, JOINT TENANT IN COMMON, OR TENANT BY THE
ENTIRETIES,

(2)    "GROSS INCOME" MEANS TOTAL GROSS INCOME FROM
ALL SOURCES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO GIFTS, AND
WHETHER OR NOT INCLUDED IN THE DEFINITIONS OF GROSS
INCOME FOR FEDERAL OR STATE INCOME TAX PURPOSES, BUT
"GROSS INCOME" DOES NOT INCLUDE THE AMOUNT OF OLD AGE,
SURVIVORS, OR DISABILITY BENEFITS RECEIVED UNDER THE
SOCIAL SECURITY ACT, AS AMENDED, OR UNDER THE RAILROAD
RETIREMENT ACT, AS AMENDED.

(3)     "COMBINED GROSS INCOME" MEANS THE COMBINED
GROSS INCOME OF ALL HOMEOWNERS, IF MORE THAN ONE, AND ALL
PERSONS ACTUALLY RESIDING IN THE SAME DWELLING, EXCEPT
PERSONS WHOSE CONTRIBUTIONS, REASONABLY APPORTIONABLE
TOWARDS THE COST OF UPKEEP, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF THE
DWELLING, ARE IN THE FORM OF FIXED RENTAL CHARGES.

(4)    "DWELLING" MEANS THE DWELLING HOUSE OF ONE OR
MORE HOMEOWNERS AND THE LOT OR CURTILAGE WHERE THE SAME
IS ERECTED, WHICH IS USED AS THE PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE OF
SUCH HOMEOWNER OR HOMEOWNERS. NO DWELLING SHALL BE
DEEMED A PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE WHICH IS NOT ACTUALLY
OCCUPIED OR EXPECTED TO BE ACTUALLY OCCUPIED BY SUCH
HOMEOWNER OR HOMEOWNERS FOR MORE THAN SIX MONTHS OF SOME
TWELVE-MONTH PERIOD INCLUDING THE DATE OF APPLICATION FOR
CREDIT. A HOMEOWNER OR HOMEOWNERS MAY CLAIM CREDIT ON
ONLY ONE SUCH DWELLING. THE ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT OR
OFFICIAL ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM MAY QUALIFY A