Property tax exemption

published 2/28/2007

A military veteran with a service-connected total or permanent disability would be eligible for a homestead exemption from property taxes, under HF390, sponsored by Rep. Tom Rukavina (DFL-Virginia).

The proposed exemption would also carry over to the surviving spouse, if they co-own the property. Approved by the House Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs Committee, the bill was referred to the House Taxes Committee.

Rukavina sponsored a similar bill last year. A fiscal note at that time showed there is an estimated 2,800 homeowners who would qualify for the exemption. Any gain to the General Fund because qualifying homeowners would no longer be eligible for a state property tax refund could be offset by a tax-shift resulting in an increase in state-paid property tax refunds to other homeowners.

A companion bill, SF1065, sponsored by Sen. Tom Bakk (DFL-Cook), awaits action by the Senate Taxes Committee.

- Lee Ann Schutz