Bill 520 was unanimously moved forward in the long legislative process of enactment by the Veterans Affairs Committee in January. The passage of the bill by the Connecticut General Assembly, simply put, would extend the state tax exemption of retired military pay from 50% to 100%. Before it reaches a CGA vote, the bill will go through a rigorous series of steps of review, evaluation and analysis of the proposed legislation including cost effect and budgetary impact.
In the view of many, including non-career veterans, career military service is a special calling. Although military service is freely chosen by the individual, there is a nobility in military service as it essentially is the guardian force that guarantees and protects our nation and the freedom of its citizens. Those in military service know the risks they are taking and have nevertheless signed up with the highest stakes, including life and limb, accepted.
Exemptions and partial exemptions from income tax of certain groups in our country are not a new concept. Staged exemption of social security benefits are just one illustration.
I have read Bill 520 for myself but there is wisdom, in my opinion, in a legislative process that carefully weighs all the factors in any legislation, such as the general welfare, safety, protection and other needs of all citizens, judiciously balanced with legal and financial impact on the state and its taxpayers. This is how policy-making should take place.
I have read Bill 520 for myself but there is wisdom, in my opinion, in a legislative process that carefully weighs all the factors in any legislation, such as the general welfare, safety, protection and other needs of all citizens, judiciously balanced with legal and financial impact on the state and its taxpayers. This is how policy-making should take place.
An advocacy group named STORM, (Stop Taxing Our Retired Military), is gaining the support of veterans and citizens in Connecticut who share their belief that the retirement pay of career service military should be fully exempt from state income tax. STORM asks citizens to support this legislation with an email to stormct15s@gmail.com.
Citizens may also contact their elected state representatives for information, questions and to voice their position on this or any other legislation.
For your convenience, Southington Heartbeat offers you the email addresses of state officials representing Southington: State Senator Joe.Markley@cga.ct.gov, Joe.Aresimowicz@cga.ct, Al.Adinolfi@housegop.ct.gov, rob.sampson@housgop.ct.gov, David.Zoni@cga.gov.
Quite frankly, I write on this subject as a citizen. I am a veteran of military service though not a career military man. I have read the bill on the website of the CGA and on its face, I endorse with the expectation that our representatives work to achieve a balanced and fair resolution, within the general welfare of the people and vote for the passage of Bill 520 as a modest token of appreciation of the service of the career guardians of our country.
What do you say?
What do you say?
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