Upcoming Election Issue: Property Tax Relief for Homeowners

In the weeks leading up to the Nov. 2 election, we'll be looking at all the questions you'll be voting on in-depth and explaining the issues behind them.

The first question on the ballot deals with whether the Constitution of Virginia should be amended to allow local governments such as the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to create their own rules for determining what people 65 or older or with permanent and total disabilities may get property tax relief through full or partial exemptions.

Currently, these exemptions are available only to people who bear an extraordinary tax burden in comparision to their financial worth and income. The proposed amendment up for statewide referendum would remove these requirements.

The Virginia House of Delegates and the State Senate both voted unanimously in support of the bill in February. Governor Bob McDonnell signed the proposed amendment in April, placing it on the ballot for the voter referendum.