Wartime Disability Status Approved for Councilman

The Borough Council on Monday approved a resolution approving tax-exempt status for 39 Shadylawn Drive because the owner, Councilman Don Links, has a permanent disability connected to his military service.

After Links left for the vote, the remaining members voted unanimously to approve the measure.

Links has, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.

Links, who is a United States Air Force veteran, has not talked about his military service, but those who serve in the military are twice as likely to become afflicted with ALS than those who have not served.

The resolution does not name Links, but says the owner of Block 101 Lot 23 in Madison served in the U.S. military in time of war and has been found by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to have a 100 percent service-connected, permanent disability.

It says state law provides that the dwelling of any citizen with that status shall be exempt from property taxation.

The tax assessor determined the property was eligible for tax exemption beginning March 23, and the resolution says any property taxes paid after that date will be refunded.