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Levittown board briefed on new state property-tax exemptions for veterans and police spouses
Summary
Superintendent Todd Winch and district counsel Sharon Berlin told trustees that the state has made a real-property tax exemption mandatory for fully disabled veterans and introduced an optional exemption (up to 50% assessed value) for surviving spouses of police officers; the county assessor is seeking clarification on eligibility rules and the opt-in tax year begins Jan. 2, 2027.
The Levittown Board of Education was briefed April 22 on two recent state property-tax exemptions affecting school-district property-tax administration. Superintendent Todd Winch and district counsel Sharon Berlin explained what the rules mean for the district and the timing for any local action.
Berlin said the state amended one exemption to make it mandatory for school districts: "Originally, it was an exemption that the board would have to vote to opt into. It was recently amended so that it is now mandatory for school districts and there is no need for the board to make a decision whether or not to opt into it." The mandatory exemption applies to fully disabled veterans and relieves districts of a local opt-in decision.
The second exemption concerns surviving spouses of police officers killed in the line of duty. "That exemption is one that it is up to the board whether it wishes to opt into," Berlin said. The board can extend a real-property tax exemption between 0% and 50% of assessed value for a qualifying primary residence, she said. Berlin added county assessors are seeking clarification on whether the surviving-spouse exemption will extend to officers who died later from exposure-related causes, including illnesses linked to Ground Zero.
Winch emphasized timing and next steps: the transcript notes that the tax year for any opt-in does not begin until Jan. 2, 2027, and the district will have time to consider whether to adopt the optional surviving-spouse provision. No formal board vote on opting into the surviving-spouse exemption was taken at the April 22 meeting.
Why it matters: a mandatory exemption for disabled veterans removes a local decision for the district, while the optional surviving-spouse provision could affect tax bills and revenue depending on whether the board chooses to adopt it and how broadly county assessors interpret eligibility. The county assessor’s request for clarification could delay local action or change the practical scope of the exemption.
What’s next: counsel and administration will track clarifications from the county assessor and state guidance; any local opt-in for the surviving-spouse exemption would be considered in a future public meeting with formal board action.
