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VIRGINIA — When Virginia voters head to the polls Nov. 5, property tax relief for veterans and their surviving spouses will be on the ballot alongside presidential candidates, Congressional seats and other local races.
Voters will decide whether to amend Article X of Virginia’s Constitution to expand a property tax exemption to all surviving spouses of soldiers who are determined by the U.S. Department of Defense to have died in the line of duty.
Currently, the state Constitution allows property tax exemptions for the primary residence of surviving spouses of veterans killed in action.
“Right now, if a service member is killed in action, the surviving spouse receives a property tax exemption. But if a service member dies in the line of duty — such as a training exercise or a helicopter crash — the surviving spouse doesn’t receive the same tax benefit,” said Del. Phil Hernandez, who introduced the measure in the General Assembly. “The amendment on the ballot fixes this loophole and treats our military families fairly.”
How will the measure appear on the ballot?
The text on every Virginia ballot will read:
Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended so that the tax exemption that is currently available to the surviving spouses of soldiers killed in action is also available to the surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty?
What will your vote mean?
A “yes” vote would allow the spouse of a soldier who died in the line of duty to claim the same property tax exemption on their principal place of residence that is currently only available to the surviving spouses of soldiers who are killed in action.
A “no” vote will not allow surviving spouses of veterans killed in the line of duty to claim the property tax exemption.
While the amendment was broadly supported in the General Assembly, its passage could mean less tax revenue for cities and local schools.
“State-mandated tax relief programs should rely upon state dollars and not local revenues to implement,” said Joe Flores, director of fiscal policy at the Virginia Municipal League.
While VML has no position on the constitutional amendment, Flores said the group would “continue to remind state lawmakers that this change will expand an existing property tax exemption that is estimated to cost localities more than $227 million in foregone revenues in 2024, an increase of 21 percent compared to the prior year.”
Learn more about the proposed amendment on the Virginia Department of Elections website.
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 5. Find your polling location here.