Assemblyman Marc Butler (R,C,I-Newport) joined the Assembly minority conference in unveiling Patriot Plan IV, a comprehensive package of legislation designed to provide new benefits and tax cuts for military personnel and their families.
“This legislation is designed to help the servicemen and women make an easier transition back into civilian life,” said Butler. “I’m particularly pleased that the focus of this legislation is to help our servicemen and women, whether it’s buying a home or providing tax relief.”
Over the past several years, the legislature has passed and Governor Pataki has signed into law Patriot Plans I, II and III, which offered a sweeping array of protections and financial assistance to New York’s troops. Patriot Plan IV supplements those measures by adding more programs to help ease the burden placed on New York’s Armed Forces.
“I have a tremendous amount of respect for our National Guardsmen and Reservists,” concluded Butler. “They have one of the hardest jobs in the world and are routinely being deployed and facing danger overseas. It is my sincerest hope that this legislative package gives them the help they need to succeed in life as a civilian and soldier.”
Among the items included in Patriot Plan IV are:
- Patriot Family Support Fund – Creates a tax-exempt “Patriot Family Support Fund” donation on New York state income tax returns.
- Performance Duty Disability Retirement Benefits – Provides performance of duty disability retirement benefits for state and local government employees who are members of the military or reserves and are injured in combat.
- Wage Tax Credits – Establishes a wage tax credit for businesses that employ members of the National Guard and reserves and for businesses that comply with the USERRA (Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act) reemployment requirements.
- Property Tax Exemptions – Allows additional official military documentation other than the DD-214 to be eligible for the Veterans Real Property Tax Exemption.
- Home Loan Guarantee – Expands the federal home loan guarantee for VA qualified state National Guard and Reserve veterans by providing a state tax credit for the extra .75 percent difference in funding fee charges between VA active duty veterans and eligible guard and reserve veterans.
- Affordable Home Ownership for Disabled Veterans – Makes the Affordable Home Ownership Development Program available to homebuyers who are service related disabled veterans.
- Veterans Assisted Forward Commitment Mortgages – Authorizes SONYMA to purchase veterans assisted forward commitment loans from banks offering low down payments and low interest rates.