For Immediate Release
June 7, 1999
Please Contact: Colin Durrant (617)722-1650 or
Dalié Jiménez, 617-722-1650

Surviving Spouses of Disabled Veterans to Receive Property Tax Exemptions

State Representative Jarrett Barrios recently announced that Senate Bill 1534, "An Act Relative to Extending Certain Property Tax Exemptions to the Surviving Spouses of Disabled Veterans," received a favorable report by the Joint Committee on Taxation, and is expected to go before the full house shortly. Representative Barrios is the house sponsor in a bi-partisan coalition of legislators in the effort to extend consistent property tax exemptions to all surviving spouses of disabled veterans. 

The current method that is used to determine the amount of property tax exemptions for disabled veterans is broken down into a complicated system of categories. In general, property tax exemptions for disabled veterans are categorized according to the nature and severity of the disability. After a disabled veteran dies, consistent property tax exemptions are not passed on to his or her spouse. In many cases, the loss in property tax exemption is coupled with a dramatic decrease in the surviving spouse's income since disabled veterans often receive disability benefits. "Targeting widows of veterans with a property tax that they have never previously had to pay just isn't right," said Representative Barrios. "Most of these women have learned to live on a limited income, but they can't bear the burden of losing this important exemption."

"This bill effects all surviving spouses of disabled veterans," said Virginia Hurley, Treasurer of the Gold Star Wives of America and a Cambridge native. "Within the current law, the disparity of property tax exemptions that the spouses of deceased disabled veterans receive is so great that it is unbelievable. It just doesn't make sense."

Senate Bill 1534 has broad-based support throughout the Commonwealth. The bill has been co-sponsored by 65 legislators and has the endorsement of numerous state and local veterans groups. The bill has been endorsed by the following statewide veteran's organizations:

• Massachusetts Department of Veterans Affairs

• Massachusetts Unified Veterans

• Gold Star Wives

• Massachusetts Veterans Service Agents Association

• The American Legion

• Massachusetts Jewish War Veterans

• Veterans of Foreign Wars

• Blinded Veterans Association

• Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary

• The Chosen Few

• Puerto Rican Veterans Association of Massachusetts

• The Amputee Veterans of America

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