Ossipee board tables proposal to boost disabled veterans’ tax credit pending numbers
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Summary
After lengthy debate, the Select Board recommended keeping the current $2,500 local veterans property-tax credit to avoid cutting benefits but tabled a proposed increase for permanently, totally disabled veterans while members seek precise recipient counts and fiscal estimates.
The Select Board considered changes required by new state rules to ensure local disabled veterans do not lose existing property-tax credits. Speaker 2 said the goal was to keep currently receiving veterans “whole” under the revised state requirements and moved to recommend that the local veterans’ property-tax credit remain at $2,500 for the coming year.
Selectman 7 proposed raising the credit for permanently, totally disabled veterans to $4,000 and exploring an increase to $5,027. The board debated eligibility definitions and fiscal impact. Board members requested precise counts of qualifying veterans — Jesse supplied a figure of 32 recipients in a related email chain, which board members used to approximate the cost impact. One board member warned that increasing the credit without knowing how many people qualify could shift tax burden to other residents.
After discussion, the board voted on the original motion to recommend $2,500 and then agreed to table further changes until more detailed eligibility and cost information is provided; the town will present the recommended amount on the warrant for Town Meeting, where voters can amend it.
Next steps: Board staff will compile counts of current recipients and cost estimates for alternate credit amounts for a future meeting so the board can make an informed recommendation to the warrant.