Veterans press Webster board for partial school‑tax exemption under NY law; board says it will gather data for summer retreat

Several veterans and veterans‑group representatives addressed the Webster Central School District Board of Education May 13, urging the board to adopt a partial school‑tax exemption for eligible veterans under New York real property tax law §458‑a.

Tim Smith, who identified himself as an Army veteran, told the board he had petitioned multiple Monroe County districts this year and urged Webster to be the next to adopt the exemption for its roughly 2,000 veteran property owners. He provided a district impact estimate and asked the board to “consider a modest school tax break to thank them for their sacrifices.”

Other speakers included Lane Corson, who identified himself as a Vietnam War veteran and a former local VFW leader; Kaywan Kombani, a retired Air Force combat veteran and retired Monroe County sheriff who said the exemption would help veterans on fixed incomes; and Al Gabiani, treasurer of VFW Post 942, who described the post’s community spending and called the proposal “peanuts” compared with state aid the district receives.

Why it matters: New York State law allows local school districts to adopt an alternative veterans’ exemption under RPTL §458‑a, but the state did not mandate it. Adopting the exemption is a local decision that affects the distribution of the property‑tax burden among taxpayers and may change small amount per‑household tax rates.

Speakers’ claims and estimates

- Tim Smith (Army veteran) said his estimate of the cost to Webster taxpayers would be “between 25¢ and 35¢ per $1,000 assessed value,” which he translated to roughly $4–$6 per month on a $200,000 assessed property. He noted other Monroe County districts had adopted similar measures.

- Kaywan Kombani (retired Air Force, retired Monroe County Sheriff) repeated the petitioner’s estimate and highlighted that many veterans are seniors on fixed incomes; he urged the board to adopt a modest exemption as an act of community support.

- Lane Corson (Vietnam veteran, past VFW commander) and Al Gabiani (Post 942 treasurer) emphasized veterans’ service and local community contributions; Gabiani noted the post’s charitable giving to local students and programs.

Board response and next steps

Board leadership said they heard the speakers and will gather updated, accurate data before taking any policy action. The board asked Business Office staff (Brian Freeman) to work with town and county officials to collect figures and to place the topic on the board’s summer retreat agenda for workshop discussion. A board representative said the retreat (late July or early August) will include a data presentation and further work on any possible local policy changes.

No formal board action was taken at the May 13 meeting; the board emphasized it is collecting information and will review the item with all seven board members at the summer retreat before considering any change.