Bill Text: NJ ACR218 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced

New Jersey Assembly Concurrent Resolution 218 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Proposes constitutional amendment to extend veterans' property tax deduction and veterans' property tax exemption to veterans who did not serve in time of war or other emergency.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-01-12 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee [ACR218 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2014-ACR218-Introduced.html

ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 218

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

216th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED JANUARY 12, 2015

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER

District 28 (Essex)

Assemblyman BOB ANDRZEJCZAK

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

Assemblywoman PAMELA R. LAMPITT

District 6 (Burlington and Camden)

Assemblyman WAYNE P. DEANGELO

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

SYNOPSIS

Proposes constitutional amendment to extend veterans' property tax deduction and veterans' property tax exemption to veterans who did not serve in time of war or other emergency.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As introduced.

A Concurrent Resolution proposing to amend Article VIII, Section I, paragraph 3 of the New Jersey Constitution.

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

1. The following proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of New Jersey is hereby agreed to:

PROPOSED AMENDMENT

Amend Article VIII, Section I, paragraph 3 to read as follows:

3. Any citizen and resident of this State now or hereafter honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service, [in time of war or other emergency] as, from time to time, defined by the Legislature, in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States shall be entitled, annually to a deduction from the amount of any tax bill for taxes on real and personal property, or both, including taxes attributable to a residential unit held by a stockholder in a cooperative or mutual housing corporation, in the sum of [$50 or if the amount of any such tax bill shall be less than $50, to a cancellation thereof, except that the deduction or cancellation shall be $100 in tax year 2000, $150 in tax year 2001, $200 in tax year 2002 and] $250 in each tax year [thereafter], or if the amount of any such tax bill shall be less than $250, to a cancellation thereof. The deduction or cancellation shall not be altered or repealed. Any person hereinabove described who has been or shall be declared by the [United States Veterans Administration] United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or its successor, to have a service-connected disability, shall be entitled to such further deduction from taxation as from time to time may be provided by law. The surviving spouse of any citizen and resident of this State who has met or shall meet his or her death on active duty [in time of war or of other emergency] as so defined in any such service shall be entitled, during her widowhood or his widowerhood, as the case may be, and while a resident of this State, to the deduction or cancellation in this paragraph provided for honorably discharged veterans and to such further deduction as from time to time may be provided by law. The surviving spouse of any citizen and resident of this State who has had or shall hereafter have active service [in time of war or of other emergency] as so defined in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States and who died or shall die while on active duty in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, or who has been or may
hereafter be honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service [in time of war or of other emergency] as so defined in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States shall be entitled, during her widowhood or his widowerhood, as the case may be, and while a resident of this State, to the deduction or cancellation in this paragraph provided for honorably discharged veterans and to such further deductions as from time to time may be provided by law.

(cf: Article VIII, Section I, paragraph 3 amended effective December 2, 1999)

2. When this proposed amendment to the Constitution is finally agreed to pursuant to Article IX, paragraph 1 of the Constitution, it shall be submitted to the people at the next general election occurring more than three months after the final agreement and shall be published at least once in at least one newspaper of each county designated by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the General Assembly and the Secretary of State, not less than three months prior to the general election.

3. This proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be submitted to the people at that election in the following manner and form:

There shall be printed on each official ballot to be used at the general election, the following:

a. In every municipality in which voting machines are not used, a legend which shall immediately precede the question as follows:

If you favor the proposition printed below make a cross (X), plus (+), or check (a) in the square opposite the word "Yes." If you are opposed thereto make a cross (X), plus (+) or check (a) in the square opposite the word "No."

b. In every municipality the following question:

		PROPERTY TAX DEDUCTION FOR PEACETIME VETERANS
	YES	Do you approve amending the Constitution to give a $250 property tax deduction to veterans who did not serve in time of war? The widow or widower of these veterans also would receive the deduction after the veteran's death.
		INTERPRETIVE STATEMENT
	NO	This amendment would give a $250 property tax deduction to veterans who did not serve in time of war. The widow or widower of a veteran who did not serve in time of war would receive the deduction after the veteran's death. The amendment also extends the additional deduction for disabled veterans to veterans who became disabled during peacetime military service. Currently, these property tax deductions are only given to veterans who served during time of war. The amendment would give the deductions to veterans who did not serve in wartime.

STATEMENT

If approved by the voters of the State, this proposed constitutional amendment would make honorably discharged military veterans who did not serve during time of war or other emergency eligible for the $250 property tax deduction and the property tax deduction granted by law to veterans with a service-connected disability. Currently, these property tax benefits are given only to honorably discharged military veterans who served during time of war or other emergency.