UVC Identifies 2022 Veterans' State Legislative Objectives

At today's executive committee meeting of the United Veterans Coalition, leaders identified Gold Star Spouses' property tax exemption as our Number One state legislative objective for the 74th General Assembly of the Colorado legislature. 

Colorado's Total Disability for Individual Unemployability (TDIU) veterans' property tax exemption was selected as the coalition's Number Two goal going into the next legislative season!

Both objectives deal with Colorado's Constitution, Article X Section 3.5 and the small partial property tax exemption presently offered seniors, totally and permanently disabled veterans, and their survivors.

The Colorado Bar Association had already indicated its support for both objectives.

Co-chairs Shelly Shelly Kalkowski and Robbie Robinson presented their state legislative committee 2022 general goals and specific objectives, finalized just prior to this morning's executive committee gathering. 

Thank you, UVC!

How interesting. And HOW CONFUSING! Gold Star Spouses Property Tax Exemption HCR21-1002 KILLED!

        Senate Veterans Committee Kills HCR21-1002

FLASH: Colorado House approves unanimously the bill HCR21-
1002 to submitting a constitutional referendum to the public to add 140 surviving Gold Star Spouses to the state's Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption. To repeat, unanimous House vote. Colorado's state representatives merely wanted to give active-duty widows the same too-small exemption disabled veterans' survivors get.

Every single Democrat and Republican voted for these 140 widows (no known husbands) to a total cost of only $95,000. HCR21-1002 then went to the Senate. These 140 widows would have represented 0.00062 of the $150M spent towards the entire homestead exemption program.

SECOND FLASH: To prevent the embarrassment of a Senate vote where Colorado's voters would see who voted against these Gold Star Spouses, the Senate killed the bill last night in committee. Straight party line, thumbs down and the bill died. Republicans YES, but every Democrat NO. I guess cautious senators felt Colorado would be overburdened if we didn't continue to ignore our dead soldiers' spouses.

I've been interested in advancing the Gold Star Wives property tax exemption for many years, urging action through the United Veterans Coalition. I've recently set the issue aside and for the UVC and Gold Star Wives to address the exemption for themselves – perhaps too much from me when I'm not a Gold Star spouse, only a Gold Star son.

Anyway...shot down behind closed doors. It feels like something's backwards here, as I'd have expected Democrats to have more concern than Republican. This was a vicious slap in the face to the House and to survivors of our troops who've died in the line of duty. The cost?  Less than $94,000 according to Legislative Council Staff.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION: Two possible changes to Article X Section 3.5 to add Gold Star Wives' property tax exemption

Perhaps adding Gold Star Wives to the Disabled Veteran's Survivor Property Tax Exemption can be done in a couple different ways. A constitutional amendment is much harder than in earlier years, but legislation or regulatory action might be easier. It bears looking into!

Here are two possible legislative actions, easy-to-use keys we might use by hacking the definition of "disabled veteran" to encompass an active duty death of a soldier, sailor airman or Marine, or a Colorado National Guard member ordered to active state duty:

SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 39-3-202, amend 3 (3.5) as follows: 4 39-3-202. Definitions. As used in this part 2, unless the context 5 otherwise requires:

(FIRST possible revision)

(b)  The owner-occupier is the spouse or surviving spouse of an owner-occupier who previously qualified for a property tax exemption for the same residential real property under paragraph (a) of this subsection OR THE SURVIVING SPOUSE OF AN INDIVIDUAL WHO DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY IN THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES OR IN THE COLORADO NATIONAL GUARD WHILE ACTIVATED FOR STATE CONTINGENCIES

SECOND possible revision)

(1.5) FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "DISABLED VETERAN" MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY IN THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES, INCLUDING A MEMBER OF THE COLORADO NATIONAL GUARD WHO HAS BEEN ORDERED INTO THE ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES, HAS BEEN SEPARATED THEREFROM UNDER HONORABLE CONDITIONS, AND HAS ESTABLISHED A SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY THAT HAS BEEN RATED BY THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AS ONE HUNDRED PERCENT PERMANENT DISABILITY THROUGH DISABILITY RETIREMENT BENEFITS OR A PENSION PURSUANT TO A LAW OR REGULATION ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, OR THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, NAVY, OR AIR FORCE. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, AN INDIVIDUAL WHO DIES IN THE LINE OF DUTY WHILE IN THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES OR THE COLORADO NATIONAL GUARD WHEN ACTIVATED FOR STATE CONTINGENCIES IS DEEMED A DISABLED VETERAN PREVIOUSLY QUALIFIED FOR A PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION

 

Farewell, MOAA and my 30-year membership.

No help here!

I've ended my 31-year membership in the Military Officers Association of America, resigning last week. Leadership's brief response to my request for support (copy below) or advice on property tax exemptions for surviving spouses of active-duty military wasn't helpful and didn't deal with the issue. The only answer was that the Colorado MOAA representative would decide whether to support or not, and whether to speak with me or not. 

There wasn't even an offer to bring my concerns about Gold Star Wives and Colorado's TDIU veterans to the MOAA representative.

In essence, I was told by leadership that my effort as a life member to express my need for MOAA help within the United Veterans Coalition was dependent upon and at the sole discretion of our lobbyist. 

MOAA's rep hasn't found an opportunity for me to discuss my hope for MOAA support within the Colorado United Veterans Coalition. My specific request was for MOAA to advocate veterans' issues as per our mission statement. I was sent an email on how the United Veterans Coalition handles legislative objectives but nothing regarding how MOAA could help, nor whether MOAA agreed or disagreed with my concern's solution.

Being denied my voice, permitted any discussion of my needs only upon invitation of another (no matter how kind or skillful or even supportive the lobbyist may be) is unacceptable. This is an MOAA gag. Are officers expected to wait around, mute and dependent on others deciding what's best for us?

Rather than have my affiliation as a member affirm MOAA inaction, disinterest, or perhaps even opposition to my needs, I have terminated my life membership. Now I hope to bring up the issue with other UVC-affiliated groups, seeking their support to place Gold Star Wives and TDIU veterans on its 2022 legislative agenda.

What I wrote MOAA to ask for help:

I'm a life MOAA member and ask your help. Good afternoon. I don't know the complexities of getting an MOAA resolution but hope for your advice. If appropriate, please consider this a motion under the appropriate rules for such a thing.

Our state restricts the small Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption to those whose spouse died while already in receipt of the exemption. This language makes it impossible for "Gold Star Wives: (name change underway to Spouses) to qualify because their troop died on duty and never came home to apply for the exemption An obvious and gruesome "Catch-22." 

There are about 150 or so widows/widowers not already covered under the Homestead Exemption. I'm not addressing Gold Star Wives' second category, spouses of vets who die after the military of service-connected causes because the current language includes them. Legislative Affairs Council estimates the cost to Colorado to be under $100,000.

I'd like to correct this via our membership in the United Veterans Coalition of Colorado. I assume we either agree upon supporting something as an informal process or some sort of resolution. I've drafted such a resolution for discussion.

Please help me correct this discrimination of active duty widows who should be receiving the same respect and honor as do Colorado's disabled veteran survivors.

Several years back, MOAA was much more responsive when I visited headquarters in Washington along with Dr. Jeanie Stellman from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. MOAA and ROA, the American Legion, NPR, even Air Force Times all lent their support throughout the four year effort getting our crews C-123 Agent Orange coverage.

So, thanks again, MOAA, but farewell. I'm not able to travel to Washington again to find somebody in MOAA to hear me out.

May 2015 MOAA Magazine

 

SAMPLE MESSGE TO COLORADO STATE LEGISLATORS FOR GOLD STAR WIVES' PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION

Colorado residents, there's a sample letter or email below that you should send your state senator or representative (around the end of June is the best time) as we fight to get the same property tax relief for Gold Star Wives as Colorado gives survivors of disabled veterans. 

Here are the names of Colorado's 35 senators and state's 65 representatives.

"In the spirit of the Assembly of the State of Colorado Senate Joint Resolution 21-010s, issued April 5, 2021 in honor of Gold Star Families, I strongly urge in 2022 much more substantive respect be shown Gold Star Wives with your support of 150 survivors whose spouses died on active military service.

As the needs of Colorado and its citizens form the 2022 legislative agenda, please support their inclusion in the Disabled Veteran Survivor Property Tax Exemption. The only reason they are denied the benefit is that their spouses died on active military service.  Only the line-of-duty death of their military spouse disqualifies Gold Star Wives from the same modest state benefit extended to survivors of our totally disabled veterans.

Language in Article X Section 3.5 (1)(b) of the Colorado Constitution provides for survivors of totally disabled veterans and of the Senior Homestead Exemption. Illogically, the phrasing completely disqualifies survivors whose active-duty military spouses lost on active duty. Article X Section 3.5 (1)(b) reads, in part: 

 (b) The owner-occupier is the spouse or surviving spouse of an owner-occupier who previously qualified for a property tax exemption for the same residential real property under paragraph (a) of this subsection

 

In 2014, HB 14-1373 dealt more directly with homesteaders' survivors, providing for "the surviving spouse who takes possession of the qualifying residence of a deceased."  Again, active duty troops' survivors were disqualified unless the family owned a Colorado home when the military spouse died – most military families, especially the young and junior ranks, do not own homes. Personal income and the frequent necessity of their transfers often makes home ownership illogical except as they near retirement. 

The language of HB 14-1373 also worked against the hopes of survivors stationed out of Colorado but hope to return or establish residence here. 

Colorado denies the exemption to survivors of active-duty military because their spouses died. Those servicemembers will never come home as disabled veterans, alive to be "previously qualified" for the exemption for which they never had the chance to apply. 

They died instead of being injured. Benefit denied the surviving spouse.  This is a too-gruesome "Catch-22".

It is also an illogical distinction between active duty troops' survivors and veterans' survivors. Perhaps our legislators did not intend to disqualify military survivors, but did they overlook the fact that not every soldier, sailor, airman or Marine will be coming home alive? Did they overlook the fact that America has been at war for the last two decades?

LSC estimates a total only 150 widows and widowers, survivors of active duty servicemembers. The state's homestead exemption benefits over a quarter million Colorado homeowners and their survivors. 

Gold Star Wives are just 0.0006% of that population. LCS says coverage for them would under $100,000 with negligible administrative overhead. Hardly an insurmountable hurdle for Colorado!

Perhaps today's wiser Legislature needs to include the death of an active-duty servicemember in its definition of "disabled veteran."

Sample Association resolution: "Extend Disabled Veterans' Survivor Property Tax Exemption to Gold Star Spouses"

 Here's what has been proposed to the American Legion, although in no way approved yet It needs post approval, then district, before the Department of Colorado can decide on it. Again. only a draft. (May 5: modified to forward the resolution only to UVC for them to consider.)

=====================================

"New" 2019 Data on Gold Star Wives: from Colorado's Legislative Council Staff

 Just uncovered in our effort to protect survivors of active-duty line-of-duty deaths: Acting on the request from a Colorado state representative, the Legislative Council Staff (LCS) researched the addition of Gold Star Wives to our Disabled Veteran Survivor Property Tax Exemption and it is nowhere near the big numbers first anticipated.

LCS calculated around 150 potential widows/widowers might be made eligible, for a cost to the state budget of just $95,000. This is much more doable than the earlier estimate of nearly 1000 exemptions with the cost of just under $1 million. I think the number is higher, perhaps a couple hundred.

This is much more doable than the earlier estimate of nearly a thousand exemptions with the cost of just under $1 million. Still, it is a cost that must be matched by a reduction somewhere.

Other stats from the Colorado Fiscal Institute and other sources have been identified that help clarify things:

-addition of Gold Star Wives is just a 0.0006 fraction of the overall homestead exemption, or 150 compared to 450,000, and a similarly small portion of the vets/survivors' population of 5500 souls.

-veterans and survivors exemptions are only 2% of the overall homestead exemption
-disabled veterans; survivors include the only under 65 years of age population eligible for exemption

-52% of active duty troops are married and thus, potentially 52% of active duty deaths leave Gold Star Spouses. Overwhelmingly, and sadly, deaths are heaviest among younger troops, averaging age 30. This is always the case in war

-Nationally, around 27% of homeowners are age 35 or younger with an even lower percentage for active-duty military.

These numbers should help calm the "sticker shock" otherwise expected from legislators and state budget officials, and they also help move this project along as we firm up specifics. Thank you, LCS and the state representative who raised the issue with them in 2019. This really helps!

Some more statistics:

-Active-duty servicemembers have lower homeownership rates (mean 43%) at younger ages than veterans (78%) and the population as a whole (68%,) but they have the highest homeownership rates (71%) in the 55-up age group

-Home ownership by veterans is greatly benefited by VA loans, and by the steady disability or retirement income many have.

-Home ownership by active duty servicemembers is also benefited by VA loans, and steady, easily verified income. Ownership is made much more difficult due to frequent transfers, and there is a significant initial home ownership surge at retirement age

-As homeownership is an important wealth-building tool (Goodman and Mayer 2018), smaller
homeownership gaps by race or ethnicity also means smaller wealth gaps. According to the Panel Study
of Income Dynamics, the black-white housing wealth gap in 2017 was $48,500 for households with veterans and active-duty servicemembers ages 35 and 54, but the gap was $71,500 for nonmilitary households. Too many younger totally disabled veterans never have the opportunity to acquire wealth or home ownership due to income limitations, even with the VA loans.

-Veteran households (non-disabled) and active-duty military households have higher median household incomes than nonmilitary households, $70,000/yr vs. $60,000, with communities of color having lower race disparities than the general population.Household income also varies by military status, age and length of service. 

-The average income is $90,800 (with benefits' value included) for active-duty military households, $87,600 fo non-disabled veteran households, and $85,000 for nonmilitary households. Spousal income is lower for active-duty military than for veterans and the general population.

-

Colorado Owes Our Gold Star Widows the Property Tax Exemption Given Disabled Veterans' Widows

 

Scan codes to download our Gold Star Wives Property Tax Exemption briefer and our Powerpoint talk

These will be go to our Google Drive files for the most current version of the one page brief, the longer full background report, and the PowerPoint presentation that's been used so far. The Colorado National Guard is mentioned throughout but will be only more generally referenced in a later version.

1.The two page shortest possible handout is linked here.

2. Full 12-page brief:
Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1N0HT08Ykq4gHjoQnB-8zU4dudaWLtdLn/view?usp=sharing

3. PowerPoint briefing (18mb): Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SpTlf_i0ttwSEjTuuC4TWbNR6S5CSU5O/view?usp=sharing

4. Background Files Collection (120 pages)
Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15k0Ee2ddxtgJtzP4_pH_S7qUnL36VEHZ/view?usp=sharing

SITREP 24 Apr 2021: Stalled??

Stalled? Well, certainly not much interest, although everyone'a so polite. After all, how can anyone not be compassionate towards Gold Star Wives?  What about the argument "Equal taxes for Gold Star Wives?" Does it just fall flat?

Well, too often there's only mild concern about this problem with Colorado's Gold Star Wives' property tax issue. In six years I've had conversations with United Veterans Collation, chiefs of staff in Denver, legislative assistants and others. I've sent out over 500 emails with but two or three responses, including a very nice one recently from Senator Joann Ginal's staff here in Fort Collins. 

Perhaps this will be something our local senator will get behind, for which I'm grateful even for her briefest consideration of the issue. From her colleagues, from other directions, other places. Nothing.

Nothing.

"Not my problem, but perhaps you could talk to your legislator." 

"We can't do anything on survivors' benefits. That's (fill in the blank) responsibility." "Maybe next year."

"We need all possible questions answered before we can possibly discuss this." (BTW, I'm 75 years old, quite ill, sucking oxygen, worried about whether my cancer is gone, homebound and I've only got a few thousand dollars budgeted to throw at the issue. It isn't like I'm able to do this myself: Rather, I pretty much expected responsible public servants and veterans advocates to see a problem when laid out before them and discuss how it can be resolved. Yeah, right. 

Since 2016 when I first brought this to the attention of UVC, there's been ZIP, zero, nada, nothing. I thought the issue of Colorado making Gold Star Wives pay more property taxes than survivors of Colorado's 100% disabled veterans would strike many Coloradans as wrong to the core. Nope.

League of Women Voters, University Women clubs, veterans organizations, DMVA, DOLA, other state agencies – almost universally no response at all. The folks I was to speak with are disappointed to learn that Gold Star Wives whose spouses died on active duty are denied the same partial property tax exemption. granted survivors of totally disabled veterans. They're somewhat taken aback. Saddened, a little. Disbelieving that the state would do that to military widows. Disappointed.

Disappointed, but not pained enough by this gruesome distinction between the two types of military widows that anyone seems to be willing to do anything. Other issues crowd Colorado's United Veterans Coalition state legislative agenda for 2021, just as they have in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. The other issues are important, of course, but so is unjust taxation of active duty widows. 

I'm puzzled: How could UVC have a (very worthy!) goal of property tax relief VA Total Disability for Individual Unemployability (TDIU) disabled veterans (wonderful – a goal I've also advocated directly and thru the UVC since 2015!) but not Gold Star Wives? Logically, conscious state leaders would balk at tens of thousands of TDIU claimants, but not at under a thousand Gold Star Wives. Logically, both issues are so tied to the same Article X Section 3.5 that they both should have been legislative objectives, either jointly or as separate issues.

I need to remind myself of Ecclesiastes 9:10: “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it." Sounds reasonable...just keep doing it as best we can.

with thy might.”I'm amazed, because this is an issue guaranteed to get a virtually unanimous vote if it could ever reach our legislators. After all, imagine the news photo of the very few politicians who would raise their hands in opposition to legislation permitting Gold Star widows the same property tax exemption granted survivors of totally disabled veterans.

There are so few Gold Star Wives. Especially few are the Gold Star Wives whose spouses died on active duty. The best guess is Colorado has fewer than one thousand men and women survivors of troops lost on active duty. The number pales against the numbers receiving the Homestead Exemption – the total disabled veterans and survivors are only 2% of the general homestead exemption category, and active duty widows/widowers a terribly smaller percentage of that.

Here's the sum of a couple thousand dollars spent trying to get some action and six years of writing, calling, visiting, emailing and glad-handing:
1. A single state senator's staff called me once and emailed me twice, and is still looking at this
2. A Zoom meeting on April 19 2021 to explain what I had on my mind, but "where is the money to come from" and "what legislators are behind this" and "we can't say anything until we see some legislation." So much for my hope of leadership from the Governor or Lieutenant Governor. It isn't that they are supposed to help, but it would help, Help a lot. I expected a genuine "that's terrible, and must be fixed because by God we don't treat war widows that way."
It never came. Instead, "thanks for your input, good bye." If there was help to be offered, or even mild encouragement, not that day. Nor any other day.
3. Two emails came back from folks directing the UVC state legislative effort. They explained GSW was represented in the coalition. It was good learn that CSW could submit the issue for next year's legislative objectives and that is was seemed "reasonable." Indeed. I thought UVC was the best place to turn for action. That's what I thought last month. That's what I thought six years ago.
4. I received an email from a wonderful state Gold Star Wife explaining that their organization is sensitive to Colorado's budget issues during 2020 and 2021, and they don't want to add to the tax burden of their fellow citizens. They are also grateful to the Colorado National Guard and feel survivors of Guard members killed on active state or federal service should be included in any property tax exemption.
They feel next year or 2023 might be a more appropriate time to seek action. I have to admire their patience and self-sacrifice, not only as Gold Star Wives but in the great caution they take to avoid a state budget impact. Willing to let my family have the small property tax exemption that rightfully should have gone to them as the first priority of the government and citizens of Colorado.

Visiting with the Colorado National Guard Conference

Great opportunity to discuss efforts to get property tax exemptions for Gold Star Spouses, not this year but working toward 2022 or 2023 at the latest.

Great opportunity to discuss efforts to get property tax exemptions for Gold Star Spouses, working toward 2022 or 2023 at the latest.

 

Equal Treatment for Colorado Gold Star Wives!

 

Mission Statement & Initial Plans for Gold Star Wives 2022 Property Tax Initiative

CLICK to download this 5-page outline of this goal for Gold Star Wives to get the same property tax relief as do survivors of disabled veterans.

Progress. Notes – April 16, 2021

 I have to admit, progress thus far is fairly disappointing. Mailings and phone calls for two weeks to politicians, associations, veterans, the media and everyone else I could think of have had a single response. Senator Ginia's staffer called to ask a couple questions to decide whether she'd brief her boss.

On Monday I have a Zoom call with the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor's chiefs of staff. I have questions aplenty, but don't know what their perspective is. Last year it was all about, "Nice, Wes. We'd like to offer widows the exemption but where's the money to come from?"

Here's an issue nobody in the Capitol would vote against, and we can't get traction. At age 75 and with various attention-grabbing health issues, I sure hope some champion will leap out in front of this project to take it on.

Gold Star Wives Poster - Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption

Correct! It seems our state legislature simply didn't contemplate the possibility of Colorado soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines dying on active duty. That's why Colorado seem to have forgotten to offer our Gold Star Wives the same widows' benefits as we provide to survivors of totally disabled veterans.

That's unjust and plain WRONG! But not a single widow of an active duty service member is permitted the Colorado Disabled Veteran's Survivor Property Tax Exemption, a small exemption saving widows between $400-$600 a year.

Why? Our state constitution's Article X Section 3.5 permits the exemption only to widows of disabled veterans already in receipt of the benefit. Dying on Active Duty means not being able to complete the application process – because the service member died first!

This is Really an Amazing and Ridiculous Catch-22!

Why is the small property tax exemption of value to Gold Star Wives?

First, it shows the state's respect and appreciation for the loss borne by these widows and widowers. The partial tax exemption would only save about $400 to $600. It would seem a minor issue to most of us. 

But look at this from a Gold Star Widow's perspective. Circumstances vary, but if eligible widows can receive half of the service member's base pay. More than half of all military deaths are E-5 and below. An Army E-5 three-stripe sergeant would have a widow pension of under $2,000 per month.

The VA has "Dependents Indemnity Compensation," where if eligible a survivor might receive $1,300 per month. So, at best, our late sergeant's widow (or widower) hopes for a modest $39,000 per year.

How far does that go? In Colorado, the average home mortgage cost is $1,700 per month, and with typical associated costs like taxes, insurance, utilities and maintenance, a monthly cost of over $2,400 or $28,000 annually. You can do the math – that leaves $916 per month for food, transportation, insurance, clothing. 

Summary: Colorado Life did a thorough report on the money necessary to live in Colorado one needs $4,317.68 per month to live in Colorado if there is a mortgage involved. Oops – that leaves our widow short by over $12,000 per year. That's why the paltry $400-$600 partial property tax exemption is important. 

The burden of property tax is a huge reason so many citizens can never afford a home, and that's even more true for military folks. That's why so few junior military own homes at the time of death and why so few widows are affected by this proposed tax exemption.

For me, I wish it was a total tax exemption as many states provide! The survivor of a service member who dies on active duty obviously have to make many, many compromises to live on $12,000 less per year than what "average" citizens need.

I think I'll do a poster based on the graphic above, but try to get the word count reduced.

The Colorado Legislature just passed another resolution "honoring" Gold Star Spouses. Wasn't that nice?

Yes, it was nice of the legislature, but Colorado certainly did it on the cheap! 

Our legislature once again has published a joint resolution (above) "honoring" survivors of Colorado's soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who died on active duty, often in combat, always in service to state and nation. A Gold Star Wife (sometimes the word "spouse" is used) has lost their spouse while on active military duty. The Gold Star Wives is an organization nobody wants to join - the cost in pain and suffering is just too high!

Clearly, it is an empty vessel. Nice words, quality paper, good typing and warmly appreciated by the widows, but completely useless in helping widows of Colorado's war dead address the financial impact of their loved ones' s death while on active military duty.

But nothing more substantial than a resolution with a budget impact of three sheets of paper. Nothing else. No benefits extended by a tight-fisted legislature during times when both government and the governed find themselves stretched financially.

The issue here is that for yet another year, our legislature had opted not to permit Gold Star Wives to receive the same small partial property tax exemption provided to survivors of 100% disabled veterans. How is this done?

In 2006 voters approved Resolution E and offered Colorado's veterans with a 100% VA disability a modest property tax exemption. Merely exempting $100,000 of the first $200,000 assessed valuation. Saves between $459-$600 – not much but it helps when trying to get by on the small VA widow's pension.

The benefit is only extended to the survivor of a disabled veteran already in receipt of the property tax exemption at the time of death. So, what about a widows of a troop killed in combat? Yup - there's the problem. A soldier dying in combat is obviously totally disabled by death but will never "be in receipt of the exemption at the time of death," as required by Article X Section 3.5 of the state constitution.