Editor: In April 2003, Melissa W. was an active duty Air Force officer, mother of an 11-month old son and six-months pregnant with her daughter when she suddenly found herself joining the ranks of our country’s Gold Star Spouses. Her husband’s F-15 Strike Fighter was downed during a combat mission over Iraq. Two weeks later, his remains and those of the F-15 pilot were recovered and eventually interred at Arlington National Cemetery.
Melissa chose to continue her military career to retirement to support her children. The family recently moved to Colorado where her son and daughter now attend college. But unlike surviving spouses of previously qualified 100% disabled veterans, Melissa is not eligible for the partial Homestead Act property tax exemption. And she is not alone.
Amendment E – Extend the Homestead Exemption to Gold Star Spouses – corrects this injustice. Gold Star Spouses are the surviving spouses of U.S. Armed Forces service members who died in the line of duty and of veterans whose death resulted from a service-related injury or disease. These widow(ers) suffer not only devastating personal loss, but often find themselves in financial crisis after the military member’s passing. Colorado’s Homestead Act provides some financial relief helping them to keep the family home.
Amendment E was referred to the ballot by your legislators with unanimous, bi-partisan votes in all House and Senate committee and floor actions. The UVC thanks our legislators for bringing this measure to the ballot and urges all voters to check Yes on Amendment E.
— Dick Young, Bob McLaughlin and Marti Crockett, via letters@sentinelcolorado.com