Continue To Support The Property Tax Exemption Given To 100% Disabled Veterans From Service-Connected Injuries
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________Some members of the Michigan House, Senate and Governor’s office have expressed an interest to see drastic changes to the property tax exemption given to 100% total and permanently disabled veterans. Including an effort to let each local taxing unit determine if it wishes to even offer this benefit. This and other efforts to make drastic changes to the program are not supported by the veteran community. Although recent legislation has partially fixed some of the issues with the property tax exemption, the issue of funding (reimbursing the local property taxing authority) is still unresolved and threatens to undo the progress made and may end this program all together.
This benefit has helped disabled veterans buy and maintain homes in the State of Michigan. The 100% total and permanent rating assigned by the VA is not something that is given easily; the rating is directly related to an injury that occurred while the veteran was on active military duty.
The Legislature and the Governor should support funding to reimburse local units of government from the loss of property tax revenue based on those who qualify for property tax exemption, as required in the Michigan Constitution article 19 subsection 29 and also in Article 7 subsection 34 that states the Provisions of the Constitution and law shall be liberally construed in the favor of counties, townships, cities, and villages. Furthermore, when SB 352 was signed into law in 1973 it was clearly in violation of the Michigan Constitution.
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