Jamestown Public Schools to Hold public Hearing Feb. 4 on Tax Exemptions for Veterans

JAMESTOWN –  The Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education will hold a public hearing regarding the potential Alternative Veterans’ Exemption on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014 at 6 p.m. in the Washington Middle School auditorium.

On Dec. 18, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the Alternative Veterans’ Exemption, which authorizes school districts to grant tax exemptions to veterans. Currently, the City of Jamestown does not offer the exemption and Chautauqua County offers the exemption at the lowest cap.

“It is important for the public to know that approving this exemption is fully discretionary by the Board of Education,” said JPS Superintendent Tim Mains. “However, it is a catch-22. If the Board tries to do something good for our well-deserving veterans, those taxes will still have to be paid by the remaining taxpayers, causing an increase in tax rates for other property owners. The Board of Education must weigh this difficult decision and is looking for community input at the public hearing.”

There are three levels of exemptions: for active duty during time of war, for veterans who served in combat zones and for individuals sustaining service-related injuries. Each exemption is assigned a specific benefits amount. Active duty exemption is 15 percent of the assessed value, not to exceed $12,000; combat zone exemption is 10% of the assessed value, not to exceed $8,000; service-incurred injury exemption is 50 percent of the veteran’s disability rating, not to exceed $40,000. The maximum exemption is 75 percent, not to exceed $60,000.

Districts can decline or accept the Alternative Veterans’ Exemption. If accepted, districts will apparently have some latitude in adjusting exemption caps within the three criteria. Reducing maximum exemptions would then limit the shift of taxes to the general tax base while still offering some relief to veterans.

The Jamestown Board of Education encourages community feedback regarding the Alternative Veterans’ Exemption on February 4th at 6 p.m. in the Washington Middle School auditorium.