We hope you didn’t throw away the one-page piece of mail sent to us by the state of Maine and explaining (or announcing) that the “circuit breaker” program was repealed in the Legislature. We called our town office, and were told by the town clerk and a couple of others that there have been many calls with questions, many of the callers were seniors.

This was a little “boon” in the summer for many years. As soon as possible, we’d fill out the paperwork and mail it in – after some years, it could be emailed. The refund, based on the person’s income and rent or property tax paid, would arrive usually in a few weeks. At my house, this rebate was used to buy the first oil delivery of the winter. I have heard others say the same thing. If you have questions about the program – the notice is reprinted below, in full – call your town councilors, legislators or write to Gov. LePage:

The Maine Residents Property Tax and Rent Refund “Circuitbreaker” Program has been repealed as part of the enacted state budget for claims beginning on or after Aug. 1, 2013. This program has been replaced by a refundable Property Tax Fairness Credit that can be claimed on the Maine Individual Income Tax Form and the new credit will be available beginning in January 2014 on the 2013 Maine Tax Form 1040ME. A worksheet will be included with the form to help you figure out the amount of the credit.

You are eligible for the Property Tax Fairness Credit if you were a resident during any part of the tax year, you owned or rented a home where you lived during the year, your Maine adjusted gross income was not more than $40,000 and your property tax was more than 10% of that income or you paid rent that was more than 40% of your Maine adjusted gross income.

If you qualify, you could get as much as $300 or if 70 or older, $400.

You must file a tax return and the Property Tax Fairness Credit Worksheet which will be available in January 2014. You can get the forms by calling 624-7894 or go to the website at http://www.maine.gov/revenue/forms and have copies mailed to you. If you mailed a Circuitbreaker application on or after Aug. 1, 2012, a form will be mailed to you.

For more information contact the Maine Revenue Service at 51 Commerce Drive, Augusta, ME 04330 or call 626-8475 weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Kay Soldier welcomes reader ideas for column topics of interest to seniors. She can be reached by email at kso48@aol.com, or write to 114 Tandberg Trail, Windham, ME 04062.