Every year people come to the polls prepare to vote, but unprepared for the surprises they find on the ballot. Do you know about the Ballot Questions?

The following is from the Virginia State Board of Elections website. See Proposed Constitutional Amendments To Be Voted on at the November 2, 2010, General Election. Over the next couple of weeks, I will list each ballot question and provide a little research on the reason why it is on the ballot.

PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

To Be Voted on at the November 2, 2010, Election
Article X, Taxation and Finance.
Section 6, Exempt Property.

BALLOT QUESTION

Question: Shall Section 6 of Article X of the Constitution of Virginia be amended to authorize legislation that will permit localities to establish their own income or financial worth limitations for purposes of granting property tax relief for homeowners not less than 65 years of age or permanently and totally disabled?

EXPLANATION

Present Law

Under the Constitution, the General Assembly may give localities the power to grant full or partial exemptions from real estate taxes to persons 65 years of age or older or for persons permanently and totally disabled. The exemption applies to owner-occupied property used as the sole dwelling of such persons. The exemption is currently available only to such persons who bear “an extraordinary tax burden” in relation to their income and financial worth.

Proposed Amendment

The proposed amendment (i) removes the requirement that tax exemptions are available only to such persons who bear “an extraordinary tax burden,” and (ii) gives the General Assembly authority to permit localities to determine their own income or financial worth limitations for tax exemptions for persons 65 years of age or older or for persons permanently and totally disabled.

For the FULL TEXT OF AMENDMENT, see PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTTo Be Voted on at the November 2, 2010, ElectionArticle X, Taxation and Finance.Section 6, Exempt Property

See Our latest post is this subject, BACKGROUND ON THE BALLOT QUESTIONS ON THE 2010 VIRGINIA BALLOT: UPDATE.