Commissioners back letters asking state to boost funding for disabled-veteran property tax reimbursements

El Paso County Commissioners on May 5 directed staff to send letters to state lawmakers urging greater appropriations for the Comptroller’s disabled veteran payment assistance program, which reimburses local governments for property tax exemptions granted to disabled veterans and surviving spouses.

Melissa Carrillo of County Operations explained staff had been working with state delegation offices and flagged a discrepancy between the House and Senate budget proposals. Commissioner David Olguin summarized the concern: “the house has appropriated a good amount of, funding for for those payments ... the house budget version has a much higher amount than the senate version does.”

First Assistant County Auditor Michael Omas provided historical figures: “the requested amount by all eligible entities was 34,600,000.0. And out of that, only 9,500,000.0 was paid out because that was the appropriation.” Staff told the court the House budget included roughly $75 million for the program while the Senate version had under $10 million; county officials said an increased appropriation would move counties closer to full reimbursement.

Commissioner Olguin moved that staff draft and send a letter to the two committee chairs requesting a higher appropriation to better reimburse eligible counties; Judge Samaniego seconded and the court approved the motion. Officials said nine counties are eligible for the program and that El Paso’s unreimbursed portion was estimated in the meeting discussion to be in the multiple millions of dollars.

County staff will prepare the letters and send them to legislative committee chairs and the county’s state delegation. The court also reviewed a draft letter related to SB 2605 seeking county representation on an asset commission — staff noted that letter had been circulated and would be sent as directed.