On March 18, Legislative Director Kevin Kinnally submitted written testimony to the Ways and Means Committee in support of HB 1611 – Property Tax – Credit for Dwelling House of Disabled Veterans and Surviving Spouses – Income Eligibility. 

This bill authorizes local governments to set income eligibility for an existing local-option property tax credit for specified disabled veterans and surviving spouses.

Currently, counties have the option to offer a property tax credit to certain disabled veterans and, if they decide, to their surviving spouses as well. To qualify, applicants must meet a state-set income limit, which caps federal adjusted gross income at $100,000.

HB 1611 proposes a straightforward but meaningful change: removing the statewide income cap and instead allowing counties and municipalities to establish eligibility criteria through local law. In doing so, the bill maintains the existing structure of the credit while preserving local flexibility.

From MACo Testimony: 

MACo generally supports policies that preserve local control over locally funded tax benefits and allow counties to align tax relief with fiscal capacity and community priorities. Counties need the flexibility to evaluate these programs holistically and determine how local tax policy should reflect those priorities. This bill allows counties to make those decisions locally, rather than operate under a single statewide threshold.

More on MACo’s Advocacy: 

• Follow MACo’s advocacy efforts during the 2026 legislative session on MACo’s Legislative Tracking Database
• Learn more about MACo’s 2026 Legislative Initiatives
• Read more General Assembly News on MACo’s Conduit Street blog