The purpose of this article is to allow for
a tax exemption for Village of Port Chester Cold War veterans, allowable
pursuant to § 458-b of the Real Property Tax Law of the
State of New York, which was created by Chapter 655 of the Laws of
the State of New York for the year 2007.
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
ACTIVE DUTY
Full-time duty in the United States Armed Forces, other than
active duty for training.
ARMED FORCES
The United States Army, Navy, Marine Corp, Air Force and
Coast Guard.
COLD WAR VETERANS
A person, male or female, who served on active duty for a
period of more than 365 days in the United States Armed Forces during
the time period from September 2, 1945, to December 26, 1991, was
discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, and has
been awarded the Cold War Recognition Certificate as authorized under
Public Law 1005-85, the 1998 National Defense Authorization Act.
QUALIFIED OWNER
A Cold War veteran, the spouse of a Cold War veteran, or
the unremarried surviving spouse of a deceased Cold War veteran. Where
property is owned by more than one qualified owner, the exemption
to which each is entitled may be combined. Where a veteran is also
the unremarried surviving spouse of a veteran, such person may also
receive any exemption to which the deceased spouse was entitled.
QUALIFIED RESIDENTIAL REAL PROPERTY
Property owned by a qualified owner which is used exclusively
for residential purposes; provided, however, that in the event that
any portion of such property is not used exclusively for residential
purposes, but is used for other purposes, such portion shall be subject
to taxation and only the remaining portion used exclusively for residential
purposes shall be subject to the exemption provided by this article.
Such property shall be the primary residence of the Cold War veteran
or the unremarried surviving spouse of a Cold War veteran; unless
the Cold War veteran or unremarried surviving spouse is absent from
the property due to medical reasons or institutionalization for up
to five years.
SERVICE CONNECTED
With respect to disability or death, that such disability
was incurred or aggravated, or that the death resulted from a disability
incurred or aggravated, in the line of duty on active military, naval,
or air service.
Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 655 of
the 2007 Laws of the State of New York amending the Real Property
Tax Law of the State of New York, the maximum veterans exemption from
real property taxes allowable pursuant to § 458-b of the
Real Property Tax Law is established as follows:
A. Qualifying residential real property shall be exempt
from taxation to the extent of 15% of the assessed value of such property;
provided, however that such exemption shall not exceed the lesser
of $12,000 multiplied by the latest state equalization rate for the
Town of Rye.
B. In addition to the exemption provided by § 293-29A,
where the Cold War veteran received a compensation rating from the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs or from the United States
Department of Defense because of a service-connected disability, qualifying
residential real property shall be exempt from taxation to the extent
of the product of the assessed value of such property multiplied by
50% of the Cold War veteran disability rating; provided, however,
that such exemption shall not exceed $40,000, or the product of $40,000
multiplied by the latest state equalization rate for the Town of Rye,
whichever is less.