TONAWANDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT Veterans Property Tax Exemptions and School Taxes March 24, 2015

Special thanks to the following individuals for presenting to the BAT in November David Marrano City Assessor Joseph L. Maciejewski Director Erie County Real Property Tax Services Nancy DiLonardo Deputy Director Erie County Real Property Tax Services

New Law Signed by Governor December 18 th, 2013 Allows School Districts to opt-in on Alternate Veterans Exemption for school tax purpose

Three Types of Veterans Exemptions Alternate Veterans – Took effect in mid 1980’s. – Must have served active duty in a designated period of war. – If non-combat, allows for 15%, combat allows 25%, disabled allows 50% of disability rating – Exemption amount is capped based on amounts adopted by jurisdiction.

Three Types of Veterans Exemptions Pro-Rata/Eligible Funds – Initial exemption that was replaced with Alternate Veterans Exemption. – More lucrative. – Similar periods of war.

Three Types of Veterans Exemptions Cold War – Adopted in – Allows for 10% or 15% (also capped). – Awarded to those who served in “non-periods of war”. most are &

What can School Districts opt-in? Alternate Veterans is what the law is based on. Those with Pro-Rata/Eligible funds can apply for Alternate Veterans for the school district portion if the district opts-in. Not applicable to Cold War Veterans.

What can School Districts Adopt? A School District does not have to adopt the same exemption amount cap level as the City or County. Note that the exemption amounts are multiplied against the municipality’s current Equalization Rate if the municipality is at 50%, and they are at the $6,000/$10,000/$20,000 cap level, then the cap would be $3,000/$5,000/$10,000 amounts.

Exemption Cap Amounts $6,000/$10,000/$20,000 cap level – What does that mean? – Wartime (Non-Combat ) Vet is eligible up to $6,000 exemption amount – Combat Vet is eligible for up to an additional $4,000 exemption amount, for a total maximum of $10,000 – Disabled Vet is eligible up to $20,000 exemption amount

Tonawanda City School District 919 veterans currently have the Alt Vet exemption. Reduction in taxable assessed value due to Alt Veteran Exemption for school purpose assuming district adopted $6,000/$10,000/$20,000: Tonawanda City SD – 8,004,973 without Pro-Rata Veterans – 8,838,973 with Pro-Rata Veterans – 139 veterans in the school district that currently have the Pro- Rata Veteran exemption could apply for the Alt Veterans exemption. A rough estimate would be $834,000 in taxable assessed value if these vets received the maximum exemption amount for a wartime vet. – 86 Cold War Veterans in the school district would not be eligible for the exemption.

Example City of Tonawanda has an Equalization Rate of 100% and the school district adopts a $6,000 cap on wartime/$10,000 on combat/$20,000 on disability. Assessed Value = $92,000 and property owner qualifies for combat veteran exemption: 25% or $10,000 (wartime + combat) cap – whichever is less.

Example $92,000 x 25% = $23,000 $23,000 exceeds the cap amount of $10,000 Exemption amount will be $10,000 $92,000 - $10,000 = $82,000 $82,000 is the taxable value for which the school tax rate will be applied against

Effect on School Budget Like all exemptions, it does create a redistribution of the levy to those without the exemption. The STAR reimbursement amount for the school district could be less due to the decreased taxable value. The amount lost for the STAR reimbursement, would be represented in the higher tax rate.

Effect on Assessed Home Value – Maximum Non-Combat Vet Exemption is $6,000 Assessed Home Value: $92,000 - $6,000 = $86,000 – Maximum Combat Vet Exemption is $10,000 Assessed Home Value: $92,000 - $10,000 = $82,000 – Maximum Disabled Vet Exemption is $20,000 Assessed Home Value: $92,000 - $20,000 = 72,000

Effect on School Tax Bill Example: Tonawanda City School District – 2 parcels in the school district are assessed for $92,000 each – The municipality’s equalization rate is 100%

Effect on School Tax Bill Scenario 1: – School district does not opt-in for alternative veterans exemptions. – Total taxable values for the school district is $664,358,297. – School district tax levy is $11,527,795

Effect on School Tax Bill Scenario 1: Tax Rate = Tax Levy / Total Taxable Value x 1,000 – $11,527,795 / $664,358,297x 1,000 = $17.35 – Both parcels have no exemptions. – Tax bill for both parcels: $ 92,000 x 17.35/ 1,000 = $1,596.20

Effect on School Tax Bill Scenario 2: – School district does opt-in for alternative veterans exemptions with a cap of $6,000/$10,000/$20,000. – Total taxable values decreases to $655,519,324. – School district tax levy is the same $11,527,795. Tax Rate =Tax Levy / Total Taxable Value x $1,000 – $11,527,795 / $655,519,324 x 1,000 = $17.58 – 1.35% tax rate increase of $0.23

Effect on School Tax Bill Maximum Wartime (Non-Combat) Exemption: – $86,000 x / 1,000 = $1, $84.32 tax bill decrease Maximum Combat Exemption: – $82,000 x / 1,000 = $1, $ tax bill decrease Maximum Disabled Exemption: – $72,000 x / 1,000 = $1, $ tax bill decrease Tax Bill for Parcel Without Exemption: – $92,000 x / 1,000 = $1, $21.16 tax bill increase

Maximum STAR Savings Basic Enhanced Tonawanda City SD $540 $1,085

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS VETERAN TAX EXEMPTION

Questions?