HARTFORD, CT – A bill that would create a property tax exemption for some of Connecticut’s disabled military veterans was passed unanimously by the state House of Representatives on Monday.
The bill, House Bill 5491, would exempt from property taxes the primary residences of veterans who are totally and permanently disabled as a result of active duty in the US military. There are 1,209 veterans currently living in the state with that level of disability. Additionally, based on an amendment added to the bill Monday, if the veteran owns a home and one or more vehicles, one of the veteran’s vehicles is also eligible for the tax exemption.
If a qualifying veteran were to die, the exemption would be passed onto others who live in the residence – i.e. a significant other or child.
The bill would take the place of the current, weaker property tax exemptions for veterans in the state, which presently allow for an exemption of up to $1,500 for veterans with up to 90 days of “wartime service.” Disabled veterans are also eligible for some additional exemptions under current statute.
Although some House Republicans voiced concerns, the legislation passed 143-0 with eight absent or not voting.
Rep. Maria Horn, a Salisbury Democrat and co-chair of the Finance, Bonding, and Revenue Committee, said the bill is for the veterans who are not able to fully advocate for themselves.
Rep. William Buckbee, R-New Milford, said that the bill is “what we should be doing.”
“We talk about all the times that we want to do the right thing, that we want to stand up for our veterans, and this is it,” Buckbee said.
Rep. Marty Foncello, a Republican from Brookfield who is a US Army veteran, said that the bill is a “small price to pay.”
“We wouldn’t be here doing what we do today, without them doing what they did back then,” Foncello said.
Several Republicans voiced concern about taking funding away from small towns, with Rep. Mark Anderson, R-Granby, saying he thinks that the legislation could even wait a year until reimbursements can be budgeted.
Rep. Farley Santos, D-Danbury, said he spoke to his town’s tax assessor, and that he was told that the exemption represents an insignificant cost to his town.
“It’s the very least that we can do for these brave men and women who have sacrificed for our nation,” Santos said.
Rep. Holly Cheeseman, a Republican from East Lyme who is also a ranking member on Finance, said she isn’t in favor of passing “unfunded mandates” to municipalities, but that she would support the bill because of the sacrifice made by the state’s veterans, and because the liability of the state would likely decrease over time.
Anderson said that the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and the Council of Small Towns both submitted testimony in opposition to the bill, but Horn made a point of correcting the record and stated that CCM does not oppose the legislation.
COST submitted testimony in opposition to the bill in March, saying that it would merely move the burden of the exempted property tax onto other residents of the towns.
The organization added that the state should refrain from creating any additional property tax exemptions, as they make it harder on towns to collect the necessary funding.
“Rather than considering additional property tax exemptions or expanding existing exemptions, lawmakers should explore options for property tax reform that will help alleviate the property tax burden on all residents and businesses without undermining the delivery of critical services,” the statement read.
The bill has a total of 58 bipartisan co-sponsors. It now heads to the Senate floor.
