LEGAL NOTICE

VILLAGE OF BREWSTER

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

PUBLIC HEARING

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE, that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Brewster will hold a Public Hearing on Proposed Local Law No. 3 of 2026 pertaining to the 100% Disabled Veteran Wholly Tax Exemption for those living in the Village of Brewster. Copies of the proposed local law will be available on the Village website, www.brewstervillage-ny.gov, and at Village Hall. The Public Hearing will take place during the Village Board Meeting of February 4, 2026, at 7:30 P.M. at Village Hall, 50 Main Street, Brewster, NY 10509. At said Public Hearing, all interested persons shall be heard on the subject thereof.  The Board of Trustees will make every effort to ensure that the Public Hearing is accessible to persons with disabilities.  Anyone requiring special assistance and/or reasonable accommodations should contact the Village Clerk. Anyone wishing to speak may do so.

By Order of the

Board of Trustees of the

Village of Brewster

Michelle Diebold

Village Clerk

PROPOSED LOCAL LAW #3 OF THE YEAR 2026

BE IT ENACTED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF BREWSTER, COUNTY OF PUTNAM, STATE OF NEW YORK AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1 : AUTHORITY
This chapter is adopted pursuant to the authority, of Article 2, §10 of the New York State Municipal Home Rule Law.

SECTION 2 : AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 231 ENTITLED “TAXATION”
Chapter 231 of the current Code of the Village of Brewster entitled “Taxation”, is hereby amended to add Chapter V entitled “Alternative Veterans Exemption” to read as follows:

§ 231-15. PURPOSE
The purpose of this article is for the Village of Brewster to provide a real property tax exemption to honorably discharged veterans that served in combat zone, combat theatre and/or endured a service-connected disability, as permitted by New York State Real Property Tax Law § 458-a,

§ 231-16 EXEMPTION GRANTED
A complete exemption from taxation shall granted from assessed value of property owned by an eligible person as set forth below is hereby granted with respect to the Village taxation and special district charges. Eligibility for such complete exemption shall require the following:

A. The property is the primary residence of the applicant;

B. The property is used exclusively for residential purposes; provided, however, that in the event any portion of such property is not used exclusively for the applicant's residence but is used for other purposes, such portion shall be subject to taxation and the remaining portion only shall be entitled to the exemption provided by this section; and

(i) The applicant was discharged or released from service under honorable conditions; and

(ii) The applicant has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the veterans' services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service; or

(iii) The applicant is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the veterans' services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service; and

D. (i) Is considered to be permanently and totally disabled as a result of military service;
(ii) Is rated one hundred percent disabled by the United States

Department of Veterans affairs;

(iii) Has been rated by the United States Department of Veterans affairs as individually unemployable; and
(iv) Who is eligible for pecuniary assistance from the United States government, or has received pecuniary assistance from the United government and has applied such assistance toward the acquisition or modification of a suitable housing unit with special features or movable facilities made necessary by the nature of the veterans' disability and the necessary law therefor shall be fully exempt from taxation and special district charges, assessments and special ad valorem levies provided that such veteran meets all other requirements of this section.

§ 231-17 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Application for such exemption shall be filed with the Assessing unit on or before the taxable status date, on a form as described by the Commissioner.

SECTION 3 – HOME RULE
Nothing in this Local Law is intended, or shall be construed to limit the home rule authority of the Town under State Law or to limit the Town’s discretion in setting fees and charges in connection with any applications requiring Town approval.

SECTION 4 – SEVERABILITY
If any part or provision of this Local Law or the application thereof to any person or circumstance be adjudged invalid by any court of competent jurisdiction, such judgment shall be confined in its operation to the part or provision or application directly involved in the controversy in which judgment shall have been rendered and shall not affect or impair the validity of the remainder of this Local Law or the application thereof to other persons or circumstances, and the Board of Trustees of the Village of Brewster hereby declares that it would have passed this Local Law or the remainder thereof had such invalid application or invalid provision been apparent.