Pine Plains BOE passes vets exemption

The Pine Plains Central School District (PPCSD) Board of Education (BOE) adopted new rates to their senior citizen tax exemption, a Veterans’ Tax Exemption and a Gold Star Parents Exemption at its regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 4. PPCSD is the first in Dutchess County to adopt the veterans’ exemption, which was authorized statewide for school districts in December by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office.In a public hearing before the meeting, BOE President Gary Griffen explained the seniors’ exemption resolution as “a slight increase in the maximum income a senior makes to qualify for a 50 percent reduction in school taxes.“Right now a senior must make $24,000 or less to be eligible for the 50 percent reduction in school taxes. We’re proposing just a $5,000 increase to $29,000,” he said.“It hasn’t been changed in about seven or eight years, so with inflation it makes sense to do so,” he added. “And $29,000 is the maximum amount allowed by law.”The Veterans Exemption will partially relieve district veterans of three levels on their school taxes.The three levels are Basic, Combat and Disabled veterans’ exemptions, each accumulating more relief than the previous. The discount is based on assessed value of the eligible veteran’s property. For example, a veteran qualified for the Combat relief — one who has served in combat of a U.S. war — receives tax exemption of 15 percent (for the Basic level) plus 10 percent (for Combat) off the assessed value of their property. The amounts are capped, however, at $12,000 for the Basic and $8,000 for the additional Combat, or those amounts “multiplied by the latest state equalization rate for the assessing unit, whichever is less,” according to a district legal notice regarding the exemptions. The Disabled veterans’ exemption — which would be accessible for veterans with service-related disabilities — is an additional tax exemption of the property’s assessed value “multiplied by 50 percent of the veteran’s [compensation rating from the Veterans’ Administration or Department of Defense], not to exceed $40,000 or the product of $40,000 multiplied by the latest state equalization rate, whichever is less,” according to the notice.Griffen explained that the Gold Star Parent Exemption applies to parents of children who died in U.S. war combat. “Only the Basic and Combat exemption will apply,” he said.The PPCSD websites refer individuals to their local assessors office for more information and applications. The application deadline is March 1. During the public hearing — before the resolutions were passed — many community veterans addressed the board on the topic.Brian Coons, town supervisor, commander of VFW Post 5519 in Pine Plains and veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, asked the board how many veterans lived in the school district.Griffen, Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Michael Goldbeck and Superintendent Martin Handler estimated 400.“Let’s be positive, and try to get maybe some young veterans to come here and move to Pine Plains,” Coons said in favor of adopting the exemption. Bernard Heaney, a district veteran from the Korean War, said he appreciated the proposal but questioned the cost it would inflict for the rest of the community.BOE member Fred “Chip” Couse offered a rough estimate of a $10 school tax increase to the average priced house in the community.“I, as one veteran, do not want to pay us onto my fellow citizens, an unnecessary burden that they can’t handle,” Heaney said, though he found the estimated amount reasonable.During public comment in the regular meeting and after the resolutions passed, town Councilman George Keeler thanked the district for adopting the exemptions.Keeler is also the commander of American Legion Post 426 in Pine Plains and a veteran of the Vietnam War.“On behalf of the veterans in the entire district, I thank you,” Keeler said.