NJ veteran denied property tax deduction drives bill making MVC responsible for benefit info
NEW JERSEY – Assemblywoman Aura Dunn’s constituent was denied a disabled veteran property tax deduction for failing to file sooner, so the lawmaker introduced a measure this fall making sure that every veteran visiting a Motor Vehicle Commission location would drive away with benefit information.
The bill passed a Senate committee on Monday and is awaiting a hearing in the Assembly Transportation Committee.
“While my staff and I are tirelessly working through the government red tape to get our resident the disabled veteran property tax refund he deserves from the state, I couldn’t help but think that the problem all started because of communication, or lack of it, at the one agency every adult must visit, the MVC,” Dunn (R-Morris) said. “This bill is about ensuring a veteran is never denied another benefit because of a missed deadline or lack of awareness.”
The bill (A4733/S3595) establishes what Dunn calls the “Welcome Home Veterans Act,” which will eventually include other legislation to make New Jersey a more military-friendly place to live.
The MVC already verifies veterans’ information when including a veteran designation on ID, so it makes sense to have the agency provide information on state and federal veteran benefits during interactions, says Dunn.
“Taking the burden off veterans to navigate a web of bureaucracy by providing benefit information at a required interaction with a state agency just makes sense,” said Dunn.
Under the bill, the MVC would provide hard copies of guides and booklets on veteran benefits when issuing a driver’s license, a probationary license, or an identification card, or renewing a driver’s license that includes the veteran designation. The information must also be available digitally on the commission’s website.
“There are income tax deductions, property tax deductions, grant programs for housing, employment and medical assistance, and so many more benefits veterans have earned in their selfless defense of this nation and state. Providing them with pertinent benefit information can mean the difference between staying and moving,” Dunn said. “By bridging gaps in communication, New Jersey can better serve its heroes who have come home.”
