Waterford to offer tax break to Gold Star parents, spouses
Waterford — Beginning next year, the town will offer a tax break to parents and spouses of active duty U.S. armed forces members who were killed in action.
Waterford joins Norwich, Middletown and Milford in offering the property tax exemption to "Gold Star" families after the General Assembly in October 2017 passed Public Act No. 17-65, which lets municipalities offer exemptions up to $20,000 or 10 percent of a property's assessed value.
Town officials have been discussing the exemption since April, when Town Clerk David Campo wrote to the 22-member Representative Town Meeting urging them to consider "a worthy endeavor on behalf of those families that have made the ultimate sacrifice."
The RTM unanimously approved the ordinance last week, and surviving parents or spouses of fallen military members can apply for the exemption between Feb. 1, 2019, and Oct. 31, 2019.
Gold Star parents and spouses in Waterford will be eligible for an exemption of up to $20,000 applicable to the assessed value of their property, based on the Oct. 1, 2019, grand list.
While the state Office of Policy and Management annually sets qualifying income levels for tax exemptions, towns can offer the exemption to people with higher incomes; Waterford Gold Star families can be eligible if they earn up to $25,000 more than the qualifying maximum income set by OPM.
"We wanted to make as many Gold Star families eligible as possible," said RTM member Paul Goldstein. "We thought that was important. This is a wonderful program and the appropriate thing to do for families and spouses of those who've paid the ultimate sacrifice."
Goldstein and Campo said it remained unclear how many families in Waterford might apply for the exemption. Last month, Tax Assessor Terence Dinnean told the town's Finance, Wage and Personnel Standing Committee that over a four- to five-year period the town's exposure would be about $500 to $600 per household.
The Norwich City Council in September unanimously approved a tax break of up to $10,000 for Gold Star families. Middletown and Milford approved similar tax breaks in 2017. No one has applied for the exemption yet in Milford, according to that town's tax assessor's office.
Messages left with Waterford and Milford's tax assessors' offices were not immediately returned.
Anyone interested in applying for the exemption, or the local veterans' exemption, should contact the town assessor's office at (860) 444-5822.
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