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Finance Committee backs town adoption of HERO Act exemptions for disabled veterans
Summary
The Finance Committee voted to recommend that town meeting accept Chapter 178 of the Acts of 2024 (the HERO Act) to expand certain tax exemptions for disabled veterans. The assessor said the incremental cost to Concord’s overlay account would be modest and not reimbursed by the state.
The Concord Finance Committee recommended affirmative action on Article 23, which would adopt the 2024 HERO Act (Chapter 178) to expand property tax exemptions for disabled veterans under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 59, Section 5, Clause 22.
Assessor Meredith Stone explained the change applies only to disabled veterans (those with a service‑connected disability rating of 10% or greater) who are domiciled in Concord and provide a DD‑214 and documentation of their disability rating. Stone said the additional exemption amounts created by the act would be paid from the town’s overlay account and would not be state‑reimbursed. Using FY2024 data, Stone said 42 veterans were enrolled under clause 22 exemptions; modeled at a 5% cost‑of‑living adjustment example for FY2026, the town’s additional cost would be roughly $2,280 and would be charged to the overlay account.
Committee members asked for clearer slide detail and a breakdown of the number of affected veterans; Stone agreed to add a breakdown in materials for town meeting. After brief discussion, the committee voted to recommend affirmative action on Article 23; the roll call in the transcript showed unanimous committee support.
