Rosenthal Urges Greater

Tax Break For Veterans

By Steve Bigham

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal Wednesday indicated his support for the creation of an ordinance that would increase the property tax exemption amount for local veterans.

Mr Rosenthal has passed a proposal onto the Legislative Council, which is charged with writing and amending local ordinances.

In June, Governor John Rowland signed the enabling legislation into law, allowing Connecticut towns to increase their tax assessment reduction for low-income wartime veterans and their surviving spouses from a maximum of $1,000 to a maximum of $10,000.

State Representative Julia Wasserman has been credited with introducing the legislation.

The new tax exemptions will take effect July 1, 2003, according to Mr Rosenthal.

Under current law, to qualify for an exemption, a veteran or surviving spouse must have an annual income of no more than $25,400 if single or $31,000 if married. Many believe those figures are too low, including Mr Rosenthal.