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Avon council adopts expanded veterans property exemption and removes income cap on a local benefit
Summary
After a staff review, the Council adopted local options to exempt up to two acres of land for 100% disabled veterans (or TDIU), extended surviving spouse coverage for a defined 2024 window, and approved changing a $10,000 maximum benefit to a non‑income based exemption.
Town Assessor Harry DerAsadourian summarized how state legislative changes affected the town’s veterans tax relief options and recommended that Avon adopt the municipal option to exempt up to two acres of land associated with the primary residence of veterans rated 100% permanent and total disabled (including TDIU). He said Avon currently exempts the building for about 28 such veterans and that adopting the land option would increase exempt assessments by roughly $2 million (assessment value), while the basic statutory exemption of $1,500 remains unchanged.
Council discussed implementation details, including documentation requirements (a VA disability rating letter and application) and whether the surviving spouse benefit should be extended for veterans who died during a window in 2024. VFW Post 322 Commander Jerry Stinson urged a clear effective date and explained that VA awards are sometimes backdated, which can affect eligibility.
On a motion by Mrs. Bratton, seconded by Ms. Ausiello, Council voted to adopt the municipal option to exempt up to two acres of land for 100% permanently and totally disabled veterans (or TDIU), and to extend the exemption to surviving spouses of veterans who would have qualified but passed away between Jan. 1, 2024 and Oct. 1, 2024. The motion passed with all Councilors voting in favor.
Council then voted (motion by Mrs. Bratton, seconded by Ms. Ausiello) to change the maximum benefit of $10,000 to a non‑income based exemption, a measure the Assessor estimated would cost approximately $112,000 if applied without income limits. Councilors noted that removing income limits would be a departure from how the town and comparable municipalities handle the program and that any change shifts costs to other taxpayers.
The Council’s votes amend local practice to broaden veteran relief while leaving the state statutory $1,500 basic exemption intact. Councilors asked staff to incorporate the changes in ordinance language and to note fiscal impacts for future budget deliberations.
