Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Disabled Veteran Tax Exemption topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Stockton adopts ordinance limiting retroactive disabled‑veteran property tax refunds
Summary
Stockton Borough Council unanimously adopted Ordinance 2025‑01 to add a Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption and limit retroactive refunds to the tax year of application under N.J.S.A. 54:4‑3.30–.32.
Stockton Borough Council voted unanimously April 21 to adopt Ordinance 2025‑01, creating a Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption and limiting retroactive refunds to the current year of application.
The ordinance, adopted on a 6‑0 roll call after a public hearing, implements provisions of N.J.S.A. 54:4‑3.30 through 54:4‑3.32 and directs the municipal tax assessor to process claims consistent with state law. Councilmember Hunt moved for adoption and Council President Michael Mann seconded; the motion carried with six ayes and no nays.
The ordinance restates statutory eligibility: an honorably discharged veteran with a service‑connected disability that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has declared total and permanent may be exempt from property taxation if a proper claim is filed. The Stockton measure adds a local policy that limits any retroactive tax refund under N.J.S.A. 54:4‑3.32 to the tax year in which the claimant submits a complete application to the tax assessor.
Council members and commenters discussed the statutory framework during the public hearing. Councilmember William Brown and others noted the ordinance aligns local practice with the state statute and court precedent cited in the borough's ordinance text.
The ordinance takes effect immediately upon final passage and publication as required by law. The council recorded the ordinance text and the roll‑call vote for filing with the Division of Local Government Services.
