Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 0965
Committee: Taxation
Sponsors: PINEAU, WOODCOCK, BOWLES, CUMMINGS, DUPLESSIE, RICHARDSON, TARDY, WHEELER, DAVIS, GAGNON

Legislative Document 
No. 965 
H.P.675 
House of Representatives, February 24,2005 
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of 
Maine To Provide a $5,000 Property Tax Exemption to Veterans, 
Regardless of Home Value 
Reference to the Committee on Taxation suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative PINEAU of Jay. 
Cosponsored by Senator WOODCOCK of Franklin and 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: BOWLES of Sanford, CUMMINGS of Portland, DUPLESSIE of Westbrook, 
RICHARDSON of Greenville, TARDY of Newport, WHEELER of Kittery, Senators: DAVIS 
of Piscataquis, GAGNON of Kennebec. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Constitutional amendment. 
Resolved: 
Two 
thirds 
of 
each 
branch 
of 
the 
Legislature 
concurring, 
that 
the 
following 
amendment to the Constitution of Maine be proposed: 
Constitution. Art. IX. §8. sub-§6 is enacted to read: 
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property tax year 2006, the first $5,000 of taxable value of real 
estate owned by a veteran who served in the Armed Forces of the 
United States is exempt from taxation. 
and be it further 
Constitutional referendum procedure; form of question: effective 
date. Resolved: 
That the municipal officers of this State shall 
notify the inhabitants of their respective cities, 
towns 
and 
plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding 
a statewide election, at a statewide election, on the Tuesday 
following the first Monday of November following the passage of 
this resolution, to vote upon the ratification of the amendment 
proposed in this resolution by voting upon the following question: 
"Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to exempt 
from property taxes the first $5,000 of taxable value of the 
real estate owned by a veteran of the Armed Forces of the 
United States?" 
The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall 
vote by ballot on this question and designate their choice by a 
cross or check mark placed within the corresponding square below 
the word "Yes" or "No." 
The ballots must be received, sorted, 
counted and declared in open ward, town and plantation meetings 
and returns made to the Secretary of State in the same manner as 
votes for members of the Legislature. 
The Governor shall review 
the returns and, if it appears that a majority of the legal votes 
are cast in favor of the amendment, the Governor shall proclaim 
that fact without delay and the amendment becomes part of the 
Constitution of Maine on the date of the proclamation; and be it 
further 
Secretary of State shall prepare ballots. Resolved: 
That 
the 
Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town 
and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of this resolution 
necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum. 
SUMMARY 
Current law provides a property tax exemption in the amount 
SO 
of $5,000 to veterans; the actual amount of the exemption is 
Page l-LR0430(1) 
determined by multiplying the amount of the exemption by the 
ratio of current just value of the property. 
This resolution amends the Constitution of Maine to provide, 
beginning with 
the 
property 
tax 
year 
2006, 
a 
property 
tax 
exemption for the first $5,000 of taxable value of real estate 
owned by a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States, 
regardless of the ratio of current just value upon which the 
local assessed value is based. 
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