Published January 1, 2011 in the Rutland Herald
Tax exemption for disabled vets up for vote
By Susan Smallheer
Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD — A proposal to increase the property-tax break given to local disabled veterans will be decided at town meeting.
Under the proposal, disabled veterans would see their tax break jump from $10,000 to $40,000 of the assessed value of their property.
The proposal came from Lou Lertola, a retired Army sergeant from Texas, according to Arnold Lashua, a town lister, who said 57 Springfield veterans or their widows or widowers receive the break.
Lashua said surviving spouses were eligible for the break as well.
Lashua said the increase of $30,000 on 57 parcels would be a significant cut in the Grand List, taking approximately $1.7 million off the list of taxable property. “That’s a lot of money,” he said, while stressing he felt disabled veterans did deserve a break on their property assessment.
He said he had no position on the proposal.
The current tax break, or $10,000 per individual, amounts to about $550,000 off of the tax rolls.
The Springfield Select Board voted earlier this week to put the matter up for a vote, but needed clarification of when the exemption would take effect.
Under the article, only veterans who are at least 50 percent disabled would be eligible for the break. Such eligibility is established by the Veterans Administration.
The board agreed to have Town Attorney Stephen Ankuda review the date of implementation, which would be Jan. 1 or July 1, which is the start of the town’s fiscal year.
Select Board member Michael Knoras said it appeared the tax break, if approved in March, would be retroactive to the 2010-11 tax year.
Tax exemption for disabled vets up for vote
By Susan Smallheer
Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD — A proposal to increase the property-tax break given to local disabled veterans will be decided at town meeting.
Under the proposal, disabled veterans would see their tax break jump from $10,000 to $40,000 of the assessed value of their property.
The proposal came from Lou Lertola, a retired Army sergeant from Texas, according to Arnold Lashua, a town lister, who said 57 Springfield veterans or their widows or widowers receive the break.
Lashua said surviving spouses were eligible for the break as well.
Lashua said the increase of $30,000 on 57 parcels would be a significant cut in the Grand List, taking approximately $1.7 million off the list of taxable property. “That’s a lot of money,” he said, while stressing he felt disabled veterans did deserve a break on their property assessment.
He said he had no position on the proposal.
The current tax break, or $10,000 per individual, amounts to about $550,000 off of the tax rolls.
The Springfield Select Board voted earlier this week to put the matter up for a vote, but needed clarification of when the exemption would take effect.
Under the article, only veterans who are at least 50 percent disabled would be eligible for the break. Such eligibility is established by the Veterans Administration.
The board agreed to have Town Attorney Stephen Ankuda review the date of implementation, which would be Jan. 1 or July 1, which is the start of the town’s fiscal year.
Select Board member Michael Knoras said it appeared the tax break, if approved in March, would be retroactive to the 2010-11 tax year.
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