Saw this tonight on local news. Makes great sense.
SAN ANTONIO - A new state Senate bill has been introduced in Texas to provide expanded property tax relief for disabled veterans who are not 100% disabled. The bill seeks to update what some see as outdated legislation.
Jeff Addicott, a law professor and 20-year Army veteran, expressed surprise at the current law. "My jaw kind of dropped when I looked at this again," Addicott said. "I'm a law professor, I'm an attorney. I said, really, this is something that we need to get involved with."
Under current Texas law, veterans with a disability rating between 70% and 90% receive a $12,000 deduction from the value of their home. Addicott explained, "The benefit is great if you're 100% disabled, but if you're 90% disabled, for example, you have a $400,000 home, you only get a $12,000 deduction from the $400,000, so you still have to pay taxes on 388,000,"
Addicott noted that when the law was originally passed, home prices were significantly lower. He proposed changes to Senator Mayes Middleton, suggesting a sliding scale for tax reductions based on the percentage of disability. "He has it so that 100% gets 100% on the property taxes, 90% gets a 90% on the property taxes reduction, 80% gets 80%, all the way down to 10%, which is the way it should be," Addicott said.
SAN ANTONIO - A new state Senate bill has been introduced in Texas to provide expanded property tax relief for disabled veterans who are not 100% disabled. The bill seeks to update what some see as outdated legislation.
Jeff Addicott, a law professor and 20-year Army veteran, expressed surprise at the current law. "My jaw kind of dropped when I looked at this again," Addicott said. "I'm a law professor, I'm an attorney. I said, really, this is something that we need to get involved with."
Under current Texas law, veterans with a disability rating between 70% and 90% receive a $12,000 deduction from the value of their home. Addicott explained, "The benefit is great if you're 100% disabled, but if you're 90% disabled, for example, you have a $400,000 home, you only get a $12,000 deduction from the $400,000, so you still have to pay taxes on 388,000,"
Addicott noted that when the law was originally passed, home prices were significantly lower. He proposed changes to Senator Mayes Middleton, suggesting a sliding scale for tax reductions based on the percentage of disability. "He has it so that 100% gets 100% on the property taxes, 90% gets a 90% on the property taxes reduction, 80% gets 80%, all the way down to 10%, which is the way it should be," Addicott said.
