Councilor Will Research Possible Tax Abatement For Spouses Of Officers Killed In Line Of Duty

A Groton Town Councilor will research a potential tax abatement for the spouses of police officers and other emergency personnel who have died.

Linda Schneider, whose husband, Paul Schneider, died after suffering a heart attack in 1997, asked the town in February to consider the measure. 

Groton City Police Officer Bill Snyder, Fran Snyder's husband, was stuck by a car and killed on Eastern Point Road during a traffic assignment in 1994. Most recently, Lt. Thomas Forbes, a 30-year veteran of the City of Groton Police Department, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound last week.

Councilor Paulann Sheets said she would research the issue, including the policies of other communities, and draft a measure that could be discussed and possibly voted upon.

At issue is whether the tax abatement would be extended solely to the spouses of police officers or whether it would include all emergency workers and volunteer firefighters, and where that line would be drawn.  Another question is whether it would apply only in instances where an employee is killed in the line of duty, and how that would be defined.

Councilor Deborah Monteiro said a heart attack could be considered a line of duty death by some if they believe it was related to the stress of the job, for example. Monteiro said she would not support extending the tax abatement to all spouses of officers who have died, as it would cover too many people.

She added that Schneider mentioned that widows of police officers have not received a cost of living increase in the last few years.

“Neither have military retires, neither have (those) on social security,” Monteiro said. “I mean, times are tough right now, and I feel bad for her, but if we’re going to talk about this, we need to talk about line of duty death and nothing else.”

Councilor Bill Johnson questioned whether this is a benefit unions should negotiate.

“You don’t want us crossing a line we might not be able to uncross,” he said.

Councilor Bruce Flax said Groton has lost few officers in the last 30 to 40 years.

 “I think ultimately the goodwill of the council to give someone who happens to fall into this situation an abatement, clearly would override the amount of money it would cost,” he said.