Exemptions For Cold War Vets On The Table
Officials from Suffolk County and its 10 towns recently announced that
they have either granted real property tax exemptions, or are in the
process of doing so, to those who served in the armed forces during
the Cold War. A bill giving local municipalities the option to grant
these exemptions was passed by the New York State Legislature and
signed into law by Governor Eliot Spitzer over the summer.
According to the law, the exemption encompasses Cold War veterans who
served during "peacetime" in the United States Army, Marine Corps,
Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard for at least one year between September
2, 1945 to December 26, 1991. They would not have to pay 15% of the
assessed value of their homes on their property tax bills, but the
exemption cannot exceed $12,000. In order to receive this benefit,
Cold War veterans must file at their local assessor's office before
March 1, 2008. The exemption lasts for 10 years.
"It doesn't affect veterans who already get an exemption," explained
Huntington Town Assessor Bryan Monaghan, who noted that veterans who
already receive exemptions are not eligible. "If you served during the
Korean War [between 1950 and 1953] and the Vietnam War [from 1965 to
1975], you already get an exemption." In addition, spouses of Cold War
veterans - and surviving spouses who have not remarried - are
eligible
.
Under the law, municipal governments have the option to adopt this
legislation at the local level. So far, the towns of Brookhaven and
Southampton have passed resolutions granting these exemptions.
Despite signing the bill into law, Spitzer wrote in his approval
message that the law still needed to be amended, citing the
requirement for these veterans to produce a federal Cold War
Recognition Certificate. This has been "a stumbling block" for those
trying to get the exemptions, according to Albert Hammond, chairman of
Shelter Island Town's Board of Assessors.
"It's not like a medal or a service certificate," said Suffolk County
Legislator Steve Stern (D-Huntington), chairman of the Legislature's
Veterans and Seniors Committee. "It's just an optional, decorative
certificate that the [Cold War] veterans had the option to obtain.
There are many Cold War veterans who never had the certificate."
New York State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-Scarsdale), who proposed
the bill along with NYS Senator Vincent Leibell III (R-Brewster), said
the state Legislature recently added an amendment that did away with
the Cold War Recognition Certificate requirement. She stated that
those municipalities that currently have this exemption on the books
would not have to amend their laws. "What they are implementing is
just a tax break," she said.Instead of a certificate,
a DD Form 214 - a form indicating that the applicant has been honorably
discharged - would be needed for verification, along with photo identification
and the deed to the property.Here is where Suffolk County and the towns stand on the exemption:
Suffolk County
Suffolk's own version of the bill will offer the same exemptions as
the state version. "Suffolk hasn't done it and I wondered why," said
Legislator Ed Romaine (R-Riverhead). The Legislature's Veterans and
Seniors Committee voted on the bill last Thursday, and it is expected
to be voted on by the Legislature on November 20.
If the law is approved on the county level, the towns will not need to
pass the legislation. "Our county version reflects just what the state
law would say," said Stern, the bill's co-sponsor. "If you qualify
under the state law, you'll qualify under county law."
Babylon
The town of Babylon will hold a public hearing tomorrow at 3:30 p.m.
at town hall regarding these exemptions for Cold War veterans. "I'm
not sure what the timeline is," said Town Assessor Michael Bernard.
"In order for it to be approved, all of this has to be in place by
January 1." For more information, call the town assessor's
office at 957-3014.
Brookhaven
Brookhaven Town Councilman Steve Fiore-Rosenfeld introduced
legislation that was approved by the town board at an October 16
meeting. "What I'm doing is accepting DD 214s as well as the
[recognition] certificate," explained Brookhaven Town Assessor James
Ryan. "Rather than turn people [who do not have the recognition
certificate] away and not being able to track them down [later], we'll
just accept the DD 214s."
For more information, call the town assessor's office at 451-6300.
East Hampton
East Hampton Town Assessor Jill Massa said the town board is "in the
process" of discussing its proposed resolution. "It doesn't go into
effect until next year, so it should be passed in a timely fashion,"
she said. According to Town Supervisor Bill McGintee's office, a
discussion will continue at the November 13 work session, and a vote
on the resolution could occur on the same day.
For more information, call the town assessor's office at 324-4187.
Huntington
A public hearing is set for tonight, November 7, at 7 p.m. at
Huntington Town Hall. According to Monaghan, "we don't need the county
to act on it." Monaghan said the town board could vote on the
exemption as early as the December 4 town board meeting.
For more information, call the town assessor's office at 351-3226.
Islip
The Islip Town Board is considering a resolution at its November 27
meeting, according to the town's public information officer, Catherine
Green. "[Town Supervisor] Phil Nolan is very much in favor of this
exemption," she said, adding that Nolan is "reaching out" to
Councilman Steve Flotteron to co-sponsor the resolution.
For more information, call the town assessor's office at 224-5585.
Riverhead
The town of Riverhead is scheduled to hold a public hearing on
November 20 at 7 p.m. at town hall. For more information, call the
town assessor's office at 727-3200, extension 259
.
Shelter Island
Last week, members of the Shelter Island Town Board were notified of
the Romaine-Stern bill, according to Hammond. The town's version has
not been passed, "but it's on the table," he said, adding that the
town board is scheduled to vote on the bill this Friday, November 9,
at 4:30 p.m. at town hall. "I'm not predicting anything, but this
[resolution] looks like a no-brainer," Hammond said.
For more information, call the town assessor's office at 749-1080.
Smithtown
The Smithtown Town Board members will discuss the resolution at a
November 13 work session, according to Town Supervisor Pat Vecchio.
"I'm 99% sure that the town board will give the [Cold War] veterans
their exemption," he said. "We've always adopted ... veterans'
exemptions over the years." Vecchio added that the town has until
January 1 to implement the exemption for these veterans, stating, "We
have plenty of time to do it." For more information, call the town assessor's
office at 360-7560.
Southampton
The law was passed in Southampton on October 23. Edward Deyermond, the
town of Southampton's sole assessor, said he has contacted local
Veterans of Foreign Wars posts and American Legion Hall chapters for
their help in finding these veterans.
For more information, call the town assessor's office at 283-6020.
Southold Robert Scott, Jr., chairman of the town of Southold's board of
assessors, said the town board is scheduled to vote on the resolution
at a work session today, November 7. "We've been taking applications
subject to the state's passing," he said. "I'm anticipating that [the
town board] will push [the resolution] through." However, Scott said
those who are eligible need to be notified in advance so that they can
file by the March 1, 2008 deadline.
For more information, call the town assessor's office at 765-1937.they have either granted real property tax exemptions, or are in the
process of doing so, to those who served in the armed forces during
the Cold War. A bill giving local municipalities the option to grant
these exemptions was passed by the New York State Legislature and
signed into law by Governor Eliot Spitzer over the summer.
According to the law, the exemption encompasses Cold War veterans who
served during "peacetime" in the United States Army, Marine Corps,
Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard for at least one year between September
2, 1945 to December 26, 1991. They would not have to pay 15% of the
assessed value of their homes on their property tax bills, but the
exemption cannot exceed $12,000. In order to receive this benefit,
Cold War veterans must file at their local assessor's office before
March 1, 2008. The exemption lasts for 10 years.
"It doesn't affect veterans who already get an exemption," explained
Huntington Town Assessor Bryan Monaghan, who noted that veterans who
already receive exemptions are not eligible. "If you served during the
Korean War [between 1950 and 1953] and the Vietnam War [from 1965 to
1975], you already get an exemption." In addition, spouses of Cold War
veterans - and surviving spouses who have not remarried - are
eligible
.
Under the law, municipal governments have the option to adopt this
legislation at the local level. So far, the towns of Brookhaven and
Southampton have passed resolutions granting these exemptions.
Despite signing the bill into law, Spitzer wrote in his approval
message that the law still needed to be amended, citing the
requirement for these veterans to produce a federal Cold War
Recognition Certificate. This has been "a stumbling block" for those
trying to get the exemptions, according to Albert Hammond, chairman of
Shelter Island Town's Board of Assessors.
"It's not like a medal or a service certificate," said Suffolk County
Legislator Steve Stern (D-Huntington), chairman of the Legislature's
Veterans and Seniors Committee. "It's just an optional, decorative
certificate that the [Cold War] veterans had the option to obtain.
There are many Cold War veterans who never had the certificate."
New York State Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-Scarsdale), who proposed
the bill along with NYS Senator Vincent Leibell III (R-Brewster), said
the state Legislature recently added an amendment that did away with
the Cold War Recognition Certificate requirement. She stated that
those municipalities that currently have this exemption on the books
would not have to amend their laws. "What they are implementing is
just a tax break," she said.Instead of a certificate,
a DD Form 214 - a form indicating that the applicant has been honorably
discharged - would be needed for verification, along with photo identification
and the deed to the property.Here is where Suffolk County and the towns stand on the exemption:
Suffolk County
Suffolk's own version of the bill will offer the same exemptions as
the state version. "Suffolk hasn't done it and I wondered why," said
Legislator Ed Romaine (R-Riverhead). The Legislature's Veterans and
Seniors Committee voted on the bill last Thursday, and it is expected
to be voted on by the Legislature on November 20.
If the law is approved on the county level, the towns will not need to
pass the legislation. "Our county version reflects just what the state
law would say," said Stern, the bill's co-sponsor. "If you qualify
under the state law, you'll qualify under county law."
Babylon
The town of Babylon will hold a public hearing tomorrow at 3:30 p.m.
at town hall regarding these exemptions for Cold War veterans. "I'm
not sure what the timeline is," said Town Assessor Michael Bernard.
"In order for it to be approved, all of this has to be in place by
January 1." For more information, call the town assessor's
office at 957-3014.
Brookhaven
Brookhaven Town Councilman Steve Fiore-Rosenfeld introduced
legislation that was approved by the town board at an October 16
meeting. "What I'm doing is accepting DD 214s as well as the
[recognition] certificate," explained Brookhaven Town Assessor James
Ryan. "Rather than turn people [who do not have the recognition
certificate] away and not being able to track them down [later], we'll
just accept the DD 214s."
For more information, call the town assessor's office at 451-6300.
East Hampton
East Hampton Town Assessor Jill Massa said the town board is "in the
process" of discussing its proposed resolution. "It doesn't go into
effect until next year, so it should be passed in a timely fashion,"
she said. According to Town Supervisor Bill McGintee's office, a
discussion will continue at the November 13 work session, and a vote
on the resolution could occur on the same day.
For more information, call the town assessor's office at 324-4187.
Huntington
A public hearing is set for tonight, November 7, at 7 p.m. at
Huntington Town Hall. According to Monaghan, "we don't need the county
to act on it." Monaghan said the town board could vote on the
exemption as early as the December 4 town board meeting.
For more information, call the town assessor's office at 351-3226.
Islip
The Islip Town Board is considering a resolution at its November 27
meeting, according to the town's public information officer, Catherine
Green. "[Town Supervisor] Phil Nolan is very much in favor of this
exemption," she said, adding that Nolan is "reaching out" to
Councilman Steve Flotteron to co-sponsor the resolution.
For more information, call the town assessor's office at 224-5585.
Riverhead
The town of Riverhead is scheduled to hold a public hearing on
November 20 at 7 p.m. at town hall. For more information, call the
town assessor's office at 727-3200, extension 259
.
Shelter Island
Last week, members of the Shelter Island Town Board were notified of
the Romaine-Stern bill, according to Hammond. The town's version has
not been passed, "but it's on the table," he said, adding that the
town board is scheduled to vote on the bill this Friday, November 9,
at 4:30 p.m. at town hall. "I'm not predicting anything, but this
[resolution] looks like a no-brainer," Hammond said.
For more information, call the town assessor's office at 749-1080.
Smithtown
The Smithtown Town Board members will discuss the resolution at a
November 13 work session, according to Town Supervisor Pat Vecchio.
"I'm 99% sure that the town board will give the [Cold War] veterans
their exemption," he said. "We've always adopted ... veterans'
exemptions over the years." Vecchio added that the town has until
January 1 to implement the exemption for these veterans, stating, "We
have plenty of time to do it." For more information, call the town assessor's
office at 360-7560.
Southampton
The law was passed in Southampton on October 23. Edward Deyermond, the
town of Southampton's sole assessor, said he has contacted local
Veterans of Foreign Wars posts and American Legion Hall chapters for
their help in finding these veterans.
For more information, call the town assessor's office at 283-6020.
Southold Robert Scott, Jr., chairman of the town of Southold's board of
assessors, said the town board is scheduled to vote on the resolution
at a work session today, November 7. "We've been taking applications
subject to the state's passing," he said. "I'm anticipating that [the
town board] will push [the resolution] through." However, Scott said
those who are eligible need to be notified in advance so that they can
file by the March 1, 2008 deadline.
SOURCE: http://www.zwire.com/site/news
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