Constitutional amendment on ballot Tuesday

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Yawn. I might as well stay home:
a) There's no difference between the candidates.
b) It's just one vote, so it doesn't matter.
c) I want to make a statement, so I'm voting for a third-party candidate.
d) Some other feeble excuse.

But seriously, if it weren't for me and 906 other people....

I'll listen to pros and cons about this: Constitutional amendment on ballot Tuesday

Virginia News

Posted: Saturday, November 1, 2014 10:30 pm
By ANDREW CAIN Richmond Times-Dispatch

Virginians will vote Tuesday on a proposed constitutional amendment to exempt from local property taxes the residence of any surviving spouse of a member of the U.S. armed forces who was killed in action.

The ballot question reads as follows:

“Shall Section 6-A of Article X (Taxation and Finance) of the Constitution of Virginia be amended to allow the General Assembly to exempt from taxation the real property of the surviving spouse of any member of the armed forces of the United States who was killed in action, where the surviving spouse occupies the real property as his or her principal place of residence and has not remarried?”

Del. David I. Ramadan, R-Loudoun, sponsored the measure. In 2010, Virginians voted to approve a constitutional amendment to exempt from taxation the real property, including the joint real property of husband and wife, of any veteran with a 100 percent service-connected and permanent disability.

That measure did not cover the spouses of those killed in action. Ramadan said he sought to correct what “in my mind was a fairness issue.”
....

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Twitter: @AndrewCainRTD

What say you?

[Raine1967]

1. I was *just* coming here to post this very article. (ETA More info)

I can't find much else about this amendment. I am very mixed about this. I would like to see what others think.

That 906 number, is that the amount of surviving spouses in Virginia?


I found this article.

Right now, Virginia law lets veterans, who were disabled during their service, and their spouses be exempt from some property taxes. And if the veteran passes away, the surviving spouse can still take advantage of the tax exemption, as long as he or she doesn’t move or remarry.

But, if Virginians vote “yes” to the Article X amendment on Election Day, spouses of any member of the armed forces who died in action will also qualify for the property tax exemption. The surviving spouse would still lose eligibility, if he or she remarried.

http://wavy.com/2014/10/23/understanding-virginias-military-tax-exemption-referendum/

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. "That 906 number, is that the amount of surviving spouses in Virginia?"

Mark Herring's margin of victory over Mark Obenshain for Attorney General last year was 907 votes.

Virginia Attorney General election, 2013

[Raine1967]

4. Oh jeepers! Thanks mahatmakanejeeves!

I totally forgot that number!

[shraby]

2. Actually the original amendment should cover those killed in action,

being killed in action is what I would call a 100 percent service-connected and permanent disability.