Sullivan County veterans get new benefit

State criticized for another unfunded mandate

By FRITZ MAYER

MONTICELLO, NY — Local veterans spoke out in favor of a new tax break for Cold War veterans, even as they criticized New York State lawmakers for details of the bill that would grant the benefit.

The law, passed unanimously by Sullivan County lawmakers on November 15, grants a tax exemption to any veteran who was on active duty from 1945 to 1991, regardless of whether the veteran was involved in a war. Under the law, veterans are entitled to deduct 10 percent of the assessed value of their homes and pay reduced real estate taxes, with the deduction not to exceed $12,000. County manager David Fanslau projected that the move would result in reduced tax revenues to the county of about $100,000.

About 25 veterans showed up at the meeting and several spoke before the vote. While they were unanimous in support of the measure, they were not pleased with some details of the enabling legislation passed this summer in Albany that allowed counties to move forward with it. One objection was that the state passed the law, but declined to pay for the bill, thus some veterans saw it as yet another unfunded state mandate handed down from the state to local customers.

Another objection was that the law will only hold a benefit for those who own property. Veterans who rent housing or don’t own property will not gain from the measure.

Finally, the bill asks veterans to go to unusual lengths to receive the benefit. For instance, they will be required to apply for the tax exemption every year, unlike other veterans’ exemptions. Veterans would also be required to produce a Cold War Recognition Certificate, which many never applied for. It takes such a long time to receive one of these certificates that many vets may miss the March 1 deadline to file for the exemption in 2008.

Berl Reggenberg, a vet who is also the assessor in the Town of Delaware, urged lawmakers to pass it and at the same time petition Albany politicians to correct the shortcomings. “My Cold War comrades deserve nothing less,” he said.

Former sheriff Dan Hogue, who was in the military in 1957 through 1959, said any veteran who served anywhere deserved the tax break. He said, “The bill stinks. It’s not written right, but let’s get it passed and then let’s take the proper steps to get Albany [to fix it], but let’s get it done.”