Farmington OKs Expanded Property Tax Relief For Disabled Veterans

FARMINGTON, CT — The Farmington Town Council has unanimously approved an ordinance amendment expanding property tax exemptions for certain disabled veterans and their surviving spouses.

The amendment allows veterans who have been determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to be totally disabled because of individual unemployability to qualify for a property tax exemption, even if their service-connected disability rating is below 100%.

The change is expected to benefit four Farmington residents and result in an estimated $9,900 in annual property tax revenue losses for the town.

Farmington Town Manager Kathleen Blonski presented the proposal during a public hearing Oct. 13, explaining that recent changes to Connecticut law allow municipalities to extend the exemption to veterans who qualify for total disability benefits based on individual unemployability.

Under existing state law, municipalities are required to provide property tax exemptions for qualifying veterans with a 100% service-connected disability rating.

The expanded exemption is optional for municipalities, and the state will not reimburse Farmington for the resulting loss of tax revenue.

According to information provided by Blonski, the four potentially eligible Farmington homeowners have a combined assessed property value of $359,720 on the 2025 Grand List.

Based on the town's current tax rate, the properties generate approximately $9,900 in annual property tax revenue.

The four homeowners currently receive property tax exemptions of $5,250 each because of their disability ratings.

Those existing exemptions would be replaced if the veterans qualify for the expanded exemption.

No questions were raised during the public hearing, which Farmington Town Council Chairman Brian F. X. Connolly closed at 7:23 p.m.

Council member Patricia Boye-Williams subsequently moved to approve the ordinance amendment, with Council member Dave Wlodkowski seconding the motion.

The council adopted the amendment unanimously.

For more information and for the minutes of the Farmington Town Council meeting, click on this link.