Rep. TOM CAMPBELL (R-Roy)
2nd LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
Olympia office: 334 John L. O'Brien Building
PO Box 40600 Olympia, WA 98504-0600
Office: (360) 786-7912

Tax exemption bill for veterans heads to governor

Olympia -- The House and the Senate have passed and sent to the governor's desk legislation that will change the way Washington counties looks at disability checks our state's veterans receive from the federal government.

Currently, counties in Washington consider federal disability payments for veterans to be income, but the federal government does not. So, when a disabled veteran, who is on low-income, receives a disability check, the county auditors consider it as income for the purpose of qualifying for a property tax exemption. Since the income lid on property taxes is $35,000, if the disability check pushes the income over the limit, the veteran is required to pay property taxes.

Rep. Tom Campbell (R-Roy) and Sen. Margarita Prentice (D-Renton) each sponsored the bill in their respective chambers. The final bill (SB 5256) won unanimous approval in the Senate (Feb. 19) and in the House (Mar. 5). Gov. Chris Gregoire has 20 days to sign it into law.

Campbell said the bill "clarifies that disability income from the federal government will no longer be considered as income by the county auditors. This will give all disabled veterans a benefit in property taxes in our state."

"We are so relieved to get this bill through the legislature, particularly in light of the growth in house values and the increased property taxes over the last few decades in our state that are forcing some out of their homes. Among them are veterans who were disabled in the defense of our country," Campbell said. "This measure will go a long way toward helping those most in need."

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Contact: Rep. Tom Campbell at (360) 786-7912 or campbell.tom@leg.wa.gov