HARRISBURG – Prime sponsor Sen. Pennycuick introduces legislation aimed at expanding eligibility for Pennsylvania’s 100% Disabled Veterans Property Tax Exemption program, in efforts to help disabled veterans stay in their homes.
“As a veteran, a primary focus of mine has been to ensure that those who have served honorably in our nation’s armed forces, receive the care and benefits they earned and deserve,” Sen. Tracy Pennycuick said. “As a grateful nation, we owe those who have become disabled in the line of duty the fundamental promise that they will remain in their homes. But for many of these heroes, property taxes threaten this right. I believe that this measure is a direct way to expand much needed relief to some of our state’s most deserving heroes.”
SB194 looks to amend current law to exclude federal VA Aid and Attendance benefits as income when calculating eligibility for the state’s 100% Disabled Veterans’ Property Tax Exemption program.
VA Aid and Attendance is a federal program designed to provide assistance to disabled veterans-some of our state’s most vulnerable-with daily activities so that they can remain in their homes. The benefit can be used to pay for everyday functioning, care services, medication management and renovations to their residence to best accommodate their disability. Currently, this pass-through benefit is calculated as part of a disabled veteran’s income, preventing some from qualifying.
As property taxes have continued to rise, vulnerable disabled veterans, some of whom have the greatest need for the property tax exemption, have been disproportionately impacted.
“We owe the brave men and women who put their lives on the line in defense of our country a debt of gratitude that can never truly be repaid,” said Sen. Pennycuick. “When those servicemen and women are injured in the line of duty, we as a grateful state need to ensure that they receive the proper aid and benefits that they deserve.”
The bill has been referred to the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee.
CONTACT: Lidia Di Fiore ldifiore@pasen.gov (215) 541-2388