Amendment E approved Press Release.pdf
GREAT NEWS! Coloradoans overwhelmingly supported Amendment E, extending an existing primary residency property tax exemption available to qualifying seniors and disabled veterans to the surviving spouses of military service members who died in the line of duty and the surviving spouses of veterans who died as a result of service-related injury or disease.
Gold Star Wives Denver and Cheyenne Mountain Chapters have worked together on this legislation for years, and together we are celebrating its passage on the Nov 2022 statewide ballot!
Going into the election, veterans in Colorado who were rated as 100% permanently disabled qualified for a property tax exemption that exempted 50% of the first $200,000 of a property's actual value from property taxes, and that exemption could pass to their surviving spouse IF the veteran had PREVIOUSLY qualified. There was no property tax exemption in Colorado for line of duty surviving spouses.
Passage of amendment E has resolved these disparities. Now, qualification for the property tax exemption will be surviving spouses who receive dependency indemnity compensation from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
ESTIMATED AVERAGE TAX SAVINGS: $630/year. (Will vary among homeowners depending on the statewide residential assessment rate, the local property tax rate, and the home’s value after the exemption is applied.)
TO OBTAIN THE EXEMPTION: Details are forthcoming, but it is expected the surviving spouse will need to:
* Submit application form to the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
* Include a copy of your DIC award letter
* Provide the address of your primary residence, which you legally own and occupy
There is NO 10-year residency requirement! There is NO penalty if you move or downsize! There is NO requirement that your veteran previously qualified!
This is welcome news to surviving spouses who lost their exemption because they needed to move or downsize. They will now be able to qualify based on their new primary residence and submission of their DIC award letter. And finally- Surviving spouses whose hero died in the line of duty are now rightfully honored!
In these divided times, it was heartwarming that 88% of Colorado voters showed their support and agreed this was the right thing to do!
Margaret Sebern
On behalf of Patti Sampers and GSWs of America, Denver Chapter
msebern@comcast.net
Chris Kinnard
Past Cheyenne Mountain Chapter President
cmkinnard@yahoo.com
Amendment E approved Press Release.pdf
