VA Should Do Better Job of Informing Veterans of Property Tax Benefits, says Senator

US Senator Charles Schumer called on the Department of Veterans Affairs to better communicate with veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan by letting them know of a property tax benefit available to them.
The senator came to Poughkeepsie on Friday to highlight the need, saying that 40 percent of the over 20,000 vets in Dutchess County have not applied for the property tax benefit that is available to them and worth hundreds of dollars a year.
He called on the VA to “do a better job” ensuring that veterans and their returning localities are coordinated and able to get vets the benefits they deserve. Schumer said the VA Home Loan division should incorporate New York’s universal tax exemption form in discharged materials for veterans, to raise awareness of the property tax benefit.
“Whether it is an existing homeowner that has missed out on hundreds of dollars in veterans’ benefits for years, or a younger veteran that wouldn’t otherwise consider purchasing a home, I want them to know about this benefit so that they’ll jump into the market, put down roots, and give the local Dutchess County economy a boost,” Schumer said.