Page 2 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, OCTObEr 4, 2024 ~ Letter to the Editor ~ A reminder for Disabled Veterans to file with the Saugus Assessors’ Office for Annual Property Tax Exemption D isabled veterans who own property in Saugus have an earned benefit for an annual property tax exemption. Disabled veterans who seek to receive this property tax exemption must bring a copy of their DD 214 (discharge papers), and their 2024 annual VA Disability (benefit letter) stating the percentage of their VA disability to the Town of Saugus Assessors’ Office. Disabled Veterans must occupy the property as your primary domicile. If you are a spouse of a veteran, you and the veteran must occupy the property as your domicile. Your domicile is where FOR SAFETY | FROM PAGE 1 feasibility of registering and inspecting apartments in the your principal and legal home is located, your family, social, civic and economic life is centered and you plan to return whenever you are away. You may have more than one residence, but only one domicile. The Town of Saugus Assessors’ Office offers this earned benefit as defined by state law. An exemption discharges the taxpayer from the legal obligation to pay all or a portion of the tax assessed for the fiscal year. Exemptions are found in various clauses of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 59, Section 5 (M.G.L. c. 59, § 5). Exemptions range from $ 400.00 for veterans with a town,” Town Manager Crabtree said. “The article specified that the town manager or his Lawrence A. Simeone Jr. Attorney-at-Law ~ Since 1989 ~ * Corporate Litigation * Criminal/Civil * MCAD * Zoning/Land Court * Wetlands Litigation * Workmen’s Compensation * Landlord/Tenant Litigation * Real Estate Law * Construction Litigation * Tax Lien * Personal Injury * Bankruptcy * Wrongful Death * Zoning/Permitting Litigation 300 Broadway, Suite 1, Revere * 781-286-1560 lsimeonejr@simeonelaw.net How Article 24 evolved Joining Manoogian and Crabtree on the committee are Selectman Anthony Cogliano and Town Meeting Members Sue Palomba (Precinct 1) and Darren Ring (Precinct 10). Town Meeting members voted overwhelmingly back in May in support of the measure (Article 24), which would examine the process used 10% disability to a full property tax exemption for Veterans who are paraplegics, or have a 100% disability for service-connected blindness and spouses (where veteran’s spouse owns the domicile) or surviving spouses of veterans entitled to exemption. A full property tax exemption may also be available to surviving spouses of: (1) military personnel (including members of the National Guard on active duty) who went missing in action during active duty and are presumed to have died, or (2) military personnel (including members of the National Guard on active duty) or veterans who died as a proximate designee be included on the Apartment Inspection Committee. I look forward to hearing from the committee members and seeing what they come up with for recommendations to Town Meeting for a possible bylaw proposal,” he said. result of injuries sustained or illnesses contracted during active duty service. Veterans may obtain a copy of their DD 214 and their annual VA benefit letter by logging into their VA or MyPay account on www.va.gov. Veterans may call the VA Benefit Hotline at 800-827-1000 between the hours of 8:00am – 9:00pm and request a copy of their DD 214 and their annual VA benefit letter stating the percentage of their disability. Additional information is available at this link: https://www.mass.gov/doc/ guide-to-real-estate-tax-exemptions-for-qualifying-veterans/download by at least two other nearby communities to register and inspect apartments. The committee would also produce a report by the 2025 Annual Town Meeting that may include a bylaw proposal that would identify procedures, costs associated with a registration/inspection process and recommendations for implementation. Saugus Fire Chief Michael C. Newbury, who has been a big fan of the article that Manoogian crafted, said he likes the idea of inspecting apartments upon the renewal of leases. “This is a common practice in many communities around the Metro Boston area,” Chief Newbury said Disabled veterans who qualify for this property tax exemption are encouraged to visit the Town of Saugus Assessors’ Office with a copy of their DD 214 and their annual VA benefit letter to receive the property tax abatement. The Office of Veterans Services at Town Hall does not have access to annual VA disability letters. The Office of Veterans Services has limited access to obtain a DD 214 (service records). Paul J. Cancelliere Saugus-VSO Phone: 781-231-4010 Email: pcancelliere@saugus-ma.gov in a statement that Manoogian distributed at the Annual Town Meeting. “It has been something that has been discussed by our fire prevention team for some time,” the chief said. “If Article 24 passes, I will gladly obtain the best practices from the fire prevention divisions throughout the area and share them forthwith. I believe that inspecting apartments upon a transfer of a lease would be an appropriate measure to ensure proper life safety codes and standards are met at the beginning of each new lease,” the chief said. A surge in Route 1 apartments Manoogian calls the possible adoption of regulations for Saugus “a public safety thing,” which is already in place in the communities of Everett, Lynn, Malden and Revere – cities that committee members have been assigned to review. He recalled a 2011 fire on Lincoln Avenue where a 50-year-old man who lived on the third floor of a three-story house later died shortly after being rescued by firefighters. The homeowner, who was awoken at 5:30 by a smoke detector, said she was unable to awaken the third floor tenant. Manoogian said he sees the issue as a matter of equity and fairness. “Why shouldn’t apartment dwellers not have the same benefit of protection that homeowners have?” FOR SAFETY | SEE PAGE 4
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