Just got the word that the DAV Chapter 1 will be hosting a series of town hall meetings tonight (October 18, 2010) regarding veterans issues.

Representatives from Senator Reid, Sharron Angle, Brian Sandoval, and Rory Reid's campaigns have been invited. 

The event will be held at the American Legion at 730 4th Street, Sparks, NV, which is behind the Post Office on 4th and Prater.  The schedule for the event is below: 

1)  6 to 7 PM for US Senate Candidates or their representatives

2)  7:00 to 7:30 PM will be a break for refreshments, provided by DAV, and an opportunity for individuals to speak one-on-one with the candidates or their representatives

3)  7:30 to 8:30 PM for Nevada Governor Candidates or their representatives

4)  8:30 to 9:30 there will be additional time for the veterans to have an opportunity to speak one-on-one with the candidates or their representatives

Anyone interested in veterans issues is invited.

Nevada Law allows for wartime veterans to take a property tax exemption on either their personal property or vehicle taxes.  Those veterans who have received a service connection disability of 60% or greater get enhanced tax exemptions depending on the year (it adjusts against the CPI) and percent disability.  However, even those 100% service connected disabled veterans do not receive a full tax exemption.

To address this subject, I am aware of bills pending before the 2009 Legislature that seek to accomplish the following:

• 100% tax exemption for those 100% disabled or 100% Individually Unemployable.
• Extension of the 100% exemption to those 100% individually unemployable (not currently included).
• Addition of a new category of tax exemption for those veterans with service connection between 40 and 59% disabled.

At the February Veterans Forum the veterans and Veteran Organizations met to discuss many of the veteran issues.  There was a great amount of dialogue relating to the veteran tax exemptions and how hard veterans wanted to push this legislative session.  Keeping the economic difficulties in mind, they agreed to pursue the previously listed items.  They felt the State and County finances were most likely not able to support a more aggressive tax exemption.

But in the end, they agreed Nevada's exemptions should be improved/increased and have studied the exemptions available in other states.  For the past three sessions and I would expect for many more to come, they will work to justly honor the sacrifices of Nevada’s veterans.

If you would like to be informed on Legislative hearings relating to veterans matters, please sign up on our front page or join us at the upcoming Legislative Summit on December 6th.

A recent visitor to our website asked, "Is there any action being taken by NOVS to increase the amount of property tax exemption for 100% disabled veterans or to completely exempt them from any and all property taxes?"

At our Legislative Symposium in March, the subject of veteran property taxes was discussed a number of times.  Following a thorough review of issues pertaining to veterans that could/should be addressed in the coming two years, two issues were prioritized relating to this subject.  Tentatively, our fourth most important issue to pursue at the 2009 session of the Nevada Legislature was a 100% exemption from property taxes for those 100% service connected veterans (and 100% Individually Unemployable (I.U.).  Also, the tentative seventh priority was to add an additional level of exemption to include those veterans who are 21-40% disabled to receive a greater disabled exemption.

If you are interested in obtaining updates to this subject and assist us as we work with the Legislature next session, I would encourage you to email DeeDra Cornelius (corneliusd@veterans.nv.gov) and request to be included on the email update list.