Veteran tax exemption program amended
WAYNESBURG – The Greene County commissioners, meeting as the county assessment board, approved a motion Wednesday to amend the program that provides property tax exemptions to veterans who have full, service-related disabilities.
The veterans’ property tax exemption provides a full tax exemption to veterans who are 100 percent disabled, as determined by the U.S. Veterans Administration, and who meet certain income guidelines.
The exemption covers the parcel of land on which the veteran’s house is situation and is now limited to five acres, which may be less than the full parcel, county chief assessor Mary Ann “Lou” Lewis said.
The state veterans’ affairs office has asked all counties to extend the exemption to include the veteran’s entire parcel, Lewis said. The commissioners agreed.
“This is just a little something we can do to help make the lives of these veterans a little better,” Commissioner Blair Zimmerman said following the meeting. “For the sacrifices they made for our country, it’s the least we can do,” he said.
Greene County now has 62 veterans who receive the exemption, Lewis said. The extension will apply to 20 of those veterans and will exempt an additional 155 acres of land, she said.
The veterans’ exemption applies not only county property taxes but to school and municipal property taxes as well, Lewis said.
During the assessment board meeting, Lewis also reported the county is waiting for the court to schedule a hearing on an appeal filed by Kari Resources LP on 96.02 acres of land off Route 21 in Franklin Township.
The three parcels, which include land formerly owned by McHolme Waynesburg LLC, former developer of Waynesburg Crossing, is currently assessed at $2,874,380, Lewis said.
In business, the board agreed to place on the agenda for today’s meeting approval of allocations to both the Humane Society of Greene County and Cat Nip Acres.
They also agreed to consider approval of a $7,123 change order for L&L Roofing to replace the roof on the pump house at the Wana B Park swimming pool.
The pump house roof needs to be repaired and was inadvertently left off a list of roofing projects at the park pool.
The commissioners also agreed to approve change orders totaling $2,660 for replacing the courthouse front porch. The change orders were requested by the contractor, Jesse L. Fiske Sr. LLC, to repair the base of the columns on the porch and to apply a sealant.