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Council backs doubling of disabled-veteran tax exemptions and annual COLA under HERO Act
Summary
The council moved to adopt state-authorized increases that would double local disabled-veteran property tax exemptions and add an annual cost-of-living adjustment; city staff estimated roughly 250–260 veterans will benefit in FY26.
The Lynn City Council on May 27 voted to accept provisions of the state HERO Act that allow municipalities to increase property tax exemptions for disabled veterans and to add an annual cost-of-living adjustment to those exemptions.
City officials said the changes would double existing exemption amounts and add an annual COLA tied to the consumer price index; for example, an exemption that was $1,000 would become $2,000 for FY26 and then increase annually with the COLA. The council’s orders to accept Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 59, Section 5, Clauses 22I and 22J passed by roll call.
Veterans Services Department head Mike Sweeney and volunteers from the Lynn Veterans Council detailed outreach and benefits administration. Sweeney and other officials said the change could immediately assist about 250–260 veterans who already receive property tax exemptions, and they noted the new law also makes it simpler to extend motor-vehicle exemptions by allowing the city to use existing property-exemption paperwork rather than a separate RMV process.
City counsel and finance staff said the changes must be adopted locally to take effect. Officials and councilors praised the proposal as a way to increase benefits for veterans; Councilor McLean and Councilor Meany were identified as active proponents on the council’s veterans committee.
