Rowe Looking to Increase Veterans’ Tax Exemptions

State Representative T.R. Rowe (R-Trumbull) has introduced legislation that would increase the property tax exemption municipalities can provide Veterans. The legislation has been submitted to the Legislature’s Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee.The legislation would require the state to take inflation rates into account when calculating property tax credits for Veterans. In recent years, Rep. Rowe supported legislation that allowed towns to increase the tax exemption from $1,000 to $10,000 or up to 10 percent of a property’s assessed value.Generally, to be eligible for veterans’ property tax exemptions, a veteran must have been honorably discharged from service after having served at least 90 days of active-duty service in the U. S. Armed Forces during a statutorily defined time of war. A sole surviving parent of a veteran who died while serving in the armed forces or after receiving an honorable discharge is also entitled to an exemption.

“Our veterans are often more deserving than what they receive,” said Rep. Rowe. “Municipalities should be given more flexibility in alleviating the growing local tax burden on Veterans, and this proposal is a step in that direction.”