On Tuesday, March 11, veterans and community members gathered at the Churchville-Chili Central School District Board of Education meeting to request a public hearing for a proposed school tax exemption for veterans. The initiative, based on the 2013 expansion of New York State Real Property Tax Law Section 458-a, aims to provide partial school tax relief to qualified veterans residing in the district.
Ken Juergens, a retired U.S. Army Colonel and Commander of the Harvey C. Noone American Legion Post 954, led the petition, addressing the board and district officials. He was joined by veterans from the community and Monroe County, including American Legion representatives John Compitello and Don Sisson. The school board members in attendance included President Kathy Dillon, Vice President Steve Hogan, and members Alycia Nagle, Amy Wilson, Kevin Johnson, Michelle Aloi, Tom Albano, Colleen Parker, and Jonathan Payne. District officials present were Superintendent Carmine Peluso, Larry Vito, Matt DeAmaral, Giulio Bosco, Nicole Livingston-Neal, Katherine Guignon, and Michelle Penner, District Clerk and Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent.
Juergens highlighted the Legion’s contributions to the district, including scholarships for high school seniors, sponsorship of Boys and Girls State for juniors, educational visits for Veterans Day and Flag Day, and organizing community events such as the Memorial Day Parade, Wreaths Across America, Easter Egg Hunts, flu shot clinics for teachers, and support programs for the senior citizens of Riga. He urged the board to follow the example of neighboring districts like Greece, Gates Chili, and Brockport, which have already passed the exemption.
Currently, 50% of New York school districts have adopted the exemption. Juergens emphasized its importance, noting that nearly half of the district’s 946 veterans are over 70 years old and on fixed incomes. The estimated cost impact to non-veteran property owners would be approximately $9 per month.
To ensure board members had the necessary information for review, Michelle Penner, District Clerk and Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent, collected and distributed supporting materials, including articles detailing Greece Central School District’s approval of the exemption and copies of Juergens’ speech. This provided the board with real-world examples and a detailed rationale for considering the measure.
As the discussion concluded, Vice President Steve Hogan expressed gratitude for the veterans’ service and acknowledged that many on the board and within the district have family members who have served. The next step is scheduling a public hearing, giving residents the opportunity to express their views before a formal vote is held.
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