CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – On March 15, 2017 at Veterans Plaza the Montgomery County Veterans Coalition held its monthly meeting.
Mr. Steve Singleton updated the Coalition on national and TN state legislation concerning veterans’ issues. As veterans know, the 2015 legislative session reduced the Disabled Veterans Property Tax Exemption from $175,000 to $100,000. Several House and Senate members sponsored restorative legislation, including Rep. Joe Pitts and Sen. Mark Green, in the 2017 session to honor commitments vocally expressed last year.
Instead of allowing each piece of legislation to stand on its own merits, the disabled veteran’s property tax exemption has been abducted and infused within the governor’s gas tax bill.
In addition, this inclusion of the veteran property tax exemption was made with an amendment that provided less than 50% of the amount needed for full restoration ($135,000). Legislators that supported this action, such as those in the Senate Transportation Committee chaired by Senator Norris, are working to make fellow legislators and veterans believe this is the end product and nothing else remains or can be done.
The scenario being offered is if a legislator were to vote against the gas tax, that legislator is also voting against the disabled veteran. In reality, the political battle being waged to save the gas tax is to hold the disabled veteran property tax relief as hostage. Thus, legislators cannot kill one without killing the other. The TN Veterans Legislative Caucus passed a resolution against attaching the Property tax to the Improve Act, as well as requesting the stand alone property tax bills to get a fair hearing. We are grateful to the Veterans Caucus for standing with our veterans. As for the Veterans Hiring Preference, the State House and Senate have passed the bill. Please refer to the Veterans Day on the Hill Facebook page for more updates on veteran legislation.
The VA Secretary announced intentions to expand mental health care to former service members with other-than-honorable discharges and are in immediate crisis. Planning continues on the “Welcome Home” events starting Wednesday, September 13th thru Saturday, September 16th.
Presenter for the month was Mrs. Tiffany Cloud-Mann. Mrs. Mann is the Vice President of Programs at the Alzheimer’s Association. The Alzheimer’s Association works on a global, national and local level to provide care and support for all those affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias. There are 82 Chapters all over the U.S. All Services are free of charge. For more information about the Alzheimer’s Association, contact Mrs. Mann at (615-315-5880) or tcloud-mann@alz.org.