Hempstead OKs property tax exemption for permanently disabled veterans

The Town of Hempstead opted into a tax exemption for disabled veterans at its board meeting Tuesday.

The tax exemption was passed by the State Legislature last year and signed into law in December by Gov. Kathy Hochul. It allows counties, cities, villages and school districts to adopt a law or resolution to give 100% property tax exemptions to honorably discharged veterans who have been permanently and totally disabled as a result of military service.

The law defines this level of disability as being rated 100% disabled and unemployable by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the veterans having received, or being eligible for, financial assistance from the federal government.

“This board feels very strongly that we always need to support our veterans, and this item provides a tax exemption for veterans who are completely disabled and unable to work,” Town Supervisor John Ferretti said before the town board voted 6-0 to adopt the measure. “We must always support those who fight for us.” 

The Veterans Affairs disability rating system is used to determine compensation for eligible veterans, and the rating can combine several disabilities for a total score. The property tax exemption applies only to the veteran’s primary residence.

The state law includes as eligible “LGBT veterans.” Under a legal settlement last year with the U.S. Defense Department, veterans who received less than honorable discharges for violating past rules about sexual orientation are eligible to have their discharges reviewed and upgraded to honorable.

Town officials didn't respond to questions about how many veterans would be eligible and what the fiscal impact would be. The town already has several tax exemptions for veterans in its code.

Newsday previously reported state law had limited exemptions to 15% of property value, with the exemptions capped at $12,000.

The Veterans Affairs' 2024 annual report on benefits showed that among the 6 million veterans who received some kind of compensation from the VA, 1.5 million, or 25.8%, were categorized as having a 100% disability rating.

Brookhaven opted in last month to the new state law, and the Town of North Hempstead has scheduled a public hearing for March 10 to opt in as well.

“When we have veterans, it’s even more important that we do all we can for them, because of what they gave for our country,” North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said.

Newsday's Joshua Needelman contributed to this story.