[Adopted 2-12-2008 by L.L. No. 1-2008]
The Board hereby finds and determines that it has been the Town's long-standing policy to offer to its veterans the broadest property tax exemption permitted by the laws of New York State. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to provide the maximum benefit permissible to the Town's Cold War veterans.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ACTIVE DUTY
Shall have the meaning set forth in Real Property Tax Law § 458-b(1)(c).
ARMED FORCES
Shall have the meaning set forth in Real Property Tax Law § 458-b(1)(b).
COLD WAR VETERAN
Shall have the meaning set forth in Real Property Tax Law § 458-b(1)(a).
LATEST CLASS RATIO
Shall have the meaning set forth in Real Property Tax Law § 458-b(1)(h).
LATEST STATE EQUALIZATION RATE
The latest final state equalization rate or special equalization rate established by the Commissioner of Finance and Taxation pursuant to Article 12 of the Real Property Tax Law. The Commissioner shall establish a special equalization rate if it finds that there has been a material change in the level of assessment since the establishment of the latest state equalization rate, but in no event shall such special equalization rate exceed 100. In the event that the state equalization rate exceeds 100, then the state equalization rate shall be 100 for the purposes of this article. Where a special equalization rate is established for purposes of this article, the Assessor is directed and authorized to recompute the Cold War veterans exemption on the assessment roll by applying such special equalization rate instead of the latest state equalization rate applied in the previous year and to make the appropriate corrections on the assessment roll, notwithstanding the fact that such Assessor may receive the special equalization rate after the completion, verification and filing of such final assessment roll. In the event that the Assessor does not have custody of the roll when such recomputation is accomplished, the Assessor shall certify such recomputation to the local officers having custody and control of such roll, and such local officers are hereby directed and authorized to enter the recomputed Cold War veterans exemption certified by the Assessor on such roll.[1]
QUALIFIED OWNER
Shall have the meaning set forth in Real Property Tax Law § 458-b(1)(e).
QUALIFIED RESIDENTIAL REAL PROPERTY
Shall have the meaning set forth in Real Property Tax Law § 458-b(1)(f).
SERVICE CONNECTED
Shall have the meaning set forth in Real Property Tax Law § 458-b(1)(d).
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
Pursuant to Subdivision (2)(a) of § 458-b of the Real Property Tax Law, an exemption from real property taxes shall be available to qualified owners of qualified residential real property in the Town. Said Cold War veterans exemption shall be computed as follows:
A. 
Qualifying residential real property shall be exempt from taxation to the extent of 10% of the assessed value of such property; provided, however, that such exemption shall not exceed $8,000 or the product of $8,000 multiplied by the latest state equalization rate of the assessing unit or, in the case of a special assessing unit, the latest class ratio, whichever is less.
B. 
In addition to the exemption provided by Subsection A of this section, where the Cold War veteran received a compensation rating from the United States Veterans Affairs or from the United States Department of Defense because of a service-connected disability, qualifying residential real property shall be exempt from taxation to the extent of the product of the assessed value of such property multiplied by 50% of the Cold War veteran's disability rating; provided, however, that such exemption shall not exceed $40,000 or the product of $40,000 multiplied by the latest state equalization rate for the assessing unit or, in the case of a special assessing unit, the latest class ratio, whichever is less.
C. 
Limitations.
(1) 
The exemption from taxation provided by this section shall be applicable to county and Town taxation, but shall not be applicable to taxes levied for school purposes.
(2) 
If a Cold War veteran receives the exemption under § 458 or 458-a of the Real Property Tax Law, the Cold War veteran shall not be eligible to receive the exemption under this article.
(3) 
The exemption provided by Subsection A of this section shall apply to qualifying owners of qualifying real property for as long as they remain qualifying owners, without regard to the ten-year limitation set forth in New York State Real Property Tax Law § 458-b.
[Amended 12-19-2017 by L.L. No. 1-2017]
[Amended 7-8-2014 by L.L. No. 1-2014]
Application for exemption shall be made by the owner, or all of the owners, of the property on a form prescribed by the Commissioner of Taxation and Finance. The owner or owners shall file the completed form in the Assessor's office on or before the first appropriate taxable status date. The owner or owners of the property shall be required to refile each year. Applicants shall refile on or before the appropriate taxable status date. Any applicant convicted of willfully making any false statement in the application for such exemption shall be subject to the penalties prescribed in the Penal Law.
The making of any written willful false statement in the application for an exemption under this article shall be a Class A misdemeanor pursuant to Penal Law § 210.45 and punishable by a fine in an amount not to exceed $1,000 in accordance with Penal Law § 80.05. Such a violation of this article shall also disqualify the applicant from further exemption for a period of one year.
This article shall apply to assessment rolls on the basis of taxable status dates occurring on or after January 1, 2008, and each year thereafter.