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Bill

ACR 129

Proposes constitutional amendment to increase amount of veterans' property tax deduction from $250 to $2,500 over four years.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Al Barlas and 4 co-sponsors

Proposes a constitutional phase-in to raise the veterans’ property tax deduction from $250 to $2,500 over four years, with broader eligibility preserved.

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee
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Bill Summary · ACR 129

Overview

  • Bill: ACR 129 (Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 129)
  • Session/Jurisdiction: New Jersey, 222nd Legislature
  • Introduced: March 10, 2026
  • Sponsored by: Assemblywoman Carol A. Murphy (District 7); co-sponsored by Assemblymen Webber, Scharfenberger, Barlas, and Assemblywoman Fantasia
  • Purpose: Proposes a constitutional amendment to phase in a substantial increase in the veterans’ property tax deduction from the current $250 to $2,500 over four years.

What the bill would do

  • Amend Article VIII, Section I, paragraph 3 of the New Jersey Constitution to authorize a phased increase in the veterans’ property tax deduction.
  • Phase-in schedule:
    • Tax year 2026: $1,000 deduction
    • Tax year 2027: $1,500 deduction
    • Tax year 2028: $2,000 deduction
    • Tax year 2029 and thereafter: $2,500 deduction
  • The deduction applies to taxes on real and personal property, including taxes for a residential unit held by a stockholder in a cooperative or mutual housing corporation.
  • If a tax bill is less than the deduction amount, the bill would be canceled (i.e., no net tax due).
  • The bill also preserves eligibility for veterans with service-connected disabilities (as determined by the VA) to receive any additional deductions provided by law.
  • Surviving spouses of veterans entitled to the deduction are also covered during widowhood or widowerhood, so long as they are residents of New Jersey.
  • Provisions for continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs):
    • CCRCs can receive the deduction on behalf of eligible veterans, calculated as the deduction amount times the number of eligible veterans in the community prior to moving in.
    • The deduction is allocated to residents as a payment or credit within 30 days after the property tax bill is issued.
    • A veteran residing in a CCRC would not also receive a deduction for another residence, and CCRCs with property tax-exempt status would not pay the deduction on behalf of eligible veterans.
    • Surviving spouses retain the same entitlement to the deduction.

Who would be affected

  • Eligible veterans: Honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service in any U.S. Armed Forces.
  • Surviving spouses of eligible veterans: Entitled to the deduction during widowhood/widowerhood while residents of New Jersey.
  • Residents of member properties: Homeowners or unit occupants subject to New Jersey property taxes, including those in traditional single-family homes, units in cooperatives or mutual housing corporations, and CCRCs.
  • Continuing care retirement communities: CCRCs would administer the deduction to eligible veterans and coordinate payments/credits to residents.
  • Veterans with disabilities: Individuals with service-connected disabilities would be entitled to any additional deductions provided by law beyond the base amount.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Constitutional amendment process:
    • If agreed by both houses (as per Article IX, paragraph 1 of the New Jersey Constitution), the amendment would be submitted to voters at the next general election occurring more than three months after final agreement.
    • Notice and publication requirements apply: proposed amendment must be published in newspapers in each county at least three months before the general election.
  • Ballot language and interpretation:
    • Ballot title: “CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO PHASE IN INCREASE TO THE PROPERTY TAX DEDUCTION FOR QUALIFIED VETERANS AND THEIR SURVIVING SPOUSES.”
    • Interpretive statement explains the phased increase: $1,000 in 2026, $1,500 in 2027, $2,000 in 2028, $2,500 in 2029 and thereafter.
    • Statement notes eligibility: honorably discharged veterans; surviving spouses receive the deduction after the veteran’s death.
  • Historical context included in the explanatory materials: last voter-approved increase was in 1999 (from $50 to $250); the deduction has been $250 since 2003.

Potential impact

  • Financial: The tax deduction for qualified veterans would rise from $250 to $2,500 over four years, providing substantial property tax relief and improving affordability for veterans and their families.
  • Administrative: CCRCs and local tax offices would need to implement the new calculation and payment/credit mechanisms, ensuring timely delivery of credits to residents.
  • Eligibility: Maintains existing veteran and survivor eligibility rules, with additional relief for disability as determined by the VA and any future statutes.
  • Fiscal considerations: The state would incur higher ongoing tax relief costs starting in 2026, scaling up through 2029 and continuing at $2,500 annually thereafter.

If you’d like, I can compare this proposed phased increase to current tax relief programs or provide a plain-language FAQ for constituents.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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