Pennycuick Proposes Expanding Pennsylvania Veterans’ Benefits

HARRISBURG, PA —State Sen. Tracy Pennycuick introduced a bill aimed at expanding eligibility for the state's Disabled Veterans Property Tax Exemption program, to help disabled veterans stay in their homes.

“As a veteran, a primary focus of mine has been to ensure that those who have served honorably in our nation’s armed forces, receive the care and benefits they earned and deserve,” said Pennycuick, a Republican representing eastern Berks County and northern Montgomery County.

“As a grateful nation, we owe those who have become disabled in the line of duty the fundamental promise that they will remain in their homes. But for many of these heroes, property taxes threaten this right.”

SB194 calls for amending the law to exclude federal Veterans Aid and Attendance benefits as income when calculating eligibility for the state’s 100 percent Disabled Veterans’ Property Tax Exemption program.

Veteran Aid and Attendance is a federal program designed to assist disabled veterans with daily activities so that they can remain in their homes.

The benefit can be used to pay for everyday functioning, care services, medication management, and renovations to their residence to best accommodate their disability.

Currently, this pass-through benefit is calculated as part of a disabled veteran’s income, preventing some from qualifying for tax exemption.

As property taxes have continued to rise, vulnerable disabled veterans, some of whom have the greatest need for the property tax exemption, have been disproportionately impacted, according to Pennycuick.

“We owe the brave men and women who put their lives on the line in defense of our country a debt of gratitude that can never truly be repaid,” sPennycuick said.

The bill has been referred to the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee.