Fairfax County supervisors will hold a public hearing Jan. 24 on whether to lower to the state’s minimum property taxes for surviving spouses of military service members determined by the U.S. Department of Defense to have died in the line of duty.
Under the county’s proposal, this separate classification for real property would be the lowest possible – 1 cent per $100 assessed valuation – versus the base rate of $1.10 per $100. The valuation of the spouses’ properties would not be altered.
Eligible surviving spouses would have to occupy the property as their principal residence and not be remarried.
County officials estimate enactment of this ordinance would result in recurring annual revenue losses of $456,240, plus one-time expenses for modifying the county’s tax system.