On March 3, Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally testified before the Ways and Means Committee in opposition to HB 1482 – Property Tax – Credit for Dwelling House of Disabled Veterans and Surviving Spouses – Revisions.
HB 1482 would convert a discretionary local tax credit into a mandatory statewide requirement — while significantly expanding eligibility and benefit levels — effectively creating a substantial unfunded mandate.
By directly reducing property tax revenues, counties’ primary and most stable funding source, the proposal would force permanent revenue losses at a time when local governments are already absorbing major state cost shifts and rising service demands. Without the flexibility to adjust policy or replace lost revenue, counties would face difficult choices affecting education, public safety, infrastructure, and other core services.
MACo supports providing meaningful relief to eligible residents,
and many counties already offer locally adopted property tax relief. However, this bill creates a significant unfunded mandate by requiring counties to provide and expand a property tax credit that current law leaves to local discretion, while increasing both eligibility and benefit levels.
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