CLARKSVILLE, Tenn.- Members of the Veterans Coalition were invited to speak before the House Local Government Sub-Committee by the Chairman, Representative Tim Wirgau, on March 30, 2016.
The purpose of this invitation was to have veteran representatives speak on issues related to changes made to state law on property tax relief for disabled veterans. Veterans from across the state had voiced their concern over these changes to legislators directly on February 17, 2016 during the first annual Consolidated Veterans Day on the Hill.
Changes included income limitations and a lower property tax amount that would be utilized in the tax relief calculations. These changes have resulted in 114 disabled veterans not being able to qualify for property tax relief in Montgomery County alone, during the 2015 tax year.
Seven new legislative bills proposing changes to the property tax relief laws were sent to the sub-committee for their consideration. The bills offered modifications to income criteria, removing income limitations, restoring property tax exclusions to be used in the calculations and completely reversing and restoring the laws before any changes were made.
Disabled veterans and their supporters had emphasized a total restoration of previous requirements during their “Day On The Hill” in February. Two of the seven bills basically mirrored each other in reversing all changes made on property tax relief. Bills HB1410/SB1484 sponsored by Representative Joe Pitts and Senator Mark Green was one of these bills.
Some of those speaking on behalf of the disabled veteran cause from Montgomery were Ms. Brenda Radford, Montgomery County Trustee; Ms. Sherry Pickering, Director of the Montgomery County Veterans Coalition; and Ms. Vivian Fivecoat and Mr. Bill Summers, Legislative Liaisons for the Military Officers Association of America, Ft. Campbell Chapter. The committee meeting room was filled with military veterans watching the proceedings.
After the presentations the House Sub-Committee members deliberated and voted unanimously to support bill number HB1410/SB1484 (Pitts-Green). On the same afternoon, the Senate Committee on State and Local Government discussed the same seven bills on the disabled property tax relief. The same Pitts-Green bill received an unanimous vote for approval and will be forwarded to the next step in the legislative process. That step includes identifying the additional funding required for HB1410/SB1484.
Veteran groups have learned that a letter from Governor Hassam’s office, dated March 7, 2016, states the Administration “has assigned a position of opposition for the Department of Finance & Administration” on HB 1410, which, in turn, includes SB1484. The negative changes made to disabled veteran property tax relief originated with the Administration in last year’s legislative session. While veterans are very grateful and pleased by the support of House and Senate members in the committees to undo the Governor’s changes, they are extremely disappointed with the administration’s continued battle to undo decades of disabled veteran support.
Additional legislative meetings on HB1410/SB1484 will take place this week and next. Any of these committees can possible amend or kill this bill before it reaches the floor of the full House or Senate for a full vote.