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Veteran urges council to implement HERO Act exemptions locally; council refers HERO Act exemptions to finance committee
Summary
A lifelong Fall River resident and Vietnam veteran urged the council to support local acceptance of HERO Act property-tax provisions for 100% disabled veterans. The council subsequently adopted a resolution referring discussion of HERO Act local tax exemptions to the committee on finance for review with city departments and Veterans' Services.
Thomas (Tom) Cabral, a lifelong Fall River resident and Vietnam veteran, used Citizens’ Input Time at the Jan. 28 meeting to urge the council to accept local provisions of the state’s HERO Act that expand property-tax exemptions for 100% disabled veterans. Cabral described historical mistreatment of veterans and said the HERO Act doubles a local real-estate exemption and provides additional annuity payments for qualifying veterans.
Cabral told councilors the governor signed the law in August and that municipalities must vote to provide the local property-tax exemption component: “Part of it is, disabled veterans get right now. They get, $1,000 off their real estate tax. Well, with this HERO Act, they're gonna double that,” Cabral said, adding that municipal councils must authorize the change locally.
Councilors subsequently approved a resolution referring the HERO Act exemptions to the committee on finance for a convening with the city administrator, corporation counsel, director of financial services, chairperson of the Board of Assessors and the Veterans’ Services officer to discuss potential tax exemptions and implementation steps. The referral instructs staff to examine fiscal and administrative impacts and report back to the committee.
Councilors noted the city may have few 100%-disabled veterans affected but said they would work with the city’s veteran advocates and staff to clarify fiscal implications, eligibility verification and the timeline for adopting local acceptance of the state law.
