Recent changes to New York’s Real Property Tax Law (RPTL § 458-a) now allow full tax exemptions for veterans with 100% permanent and total disability resulting from their military service. This local tax relief, however, is available only if the applicable county, city, town, village, or school district “opts in” to grant the exemption. In February, the Greece Central School Board approved the exemption. In July, legislation supporting the full tax exemption for this highest possible Veterans Administration (VA) disability rating was introduced in the Monroe County Legislature. If approved, eligible Veterans would be exempt from paying Monroe County property taxes.
Local veterans service organizations are working together to raise visibility and promote quick adoption of this benefit for eligible disabled veterans because, if adopted, the exemption would apply to assessment tax rolls based on taxable status dates after October 1, 2026. As part of the effort, on Tuesday, September 15, representatives from the American Legion Harsch-Crisp-Seaman Post 379, the Brockport Navy Club Ship 1812, and the Genesee Valley Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (GVC MOAA) attended the Brockport Central School District Board of Education meeting. During the public comment portion of the meeting, they asked the school board to approve a resolution to “opt in” and grant a full school tax exemption for 100% permanently and totally disabled veterans.
Legion Post 379 member Frank Barker, a retired Army Iraq veteran with 21 years of service, coordinated the local veterans groups’ attendance at Tuesday’s school board meeting to go on record in asking for a resolution granting full tax exemptions consistent with the revised law. “We understand each municipality has different budget priorities and capabilities dependent on the local tax rolls,” Mr. Barker noted. “We just wanted to make sure there is public awareness that full tax exemptions are allowed for eligible veterans and that due consideration is given to approving these exemptions where possible.”
Brian Thomas, a Brockport native and retired Navy veteran with 21 years of military service, read a prepared statement to the school board stressing that veterans greatly appreciate the local property tax relief their prior military service allows. Mr. Thomas further noted for this article that, “Typically, veterans with the designation of 100% permanent and total disability related to their military service make up a very small percentage of the overall population of veterans in any given municipality. We believe that when municipalities perform analysis of actual eligible veterans within their area, they will find the impact of adopting the full tax exemption to be manageable.”
The effort to achieve full tax exemption for veterans designated with 100% permanent and total disability in New York State has only just started. Every municipality in the state will have to choose whether to opt in and grant full tax exemptions to veterans with the most severe VA disability rating. Veteran service organizations in virtually every municipality will help raise awareness and participate in the legislative and policy discussions that will provide our most disabled veterans with a full property tax exemption.
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