Hempstead Town approves tax break for spouses of slain officers

The Town of Hempstead has approved a partial property tax exemption for the surviving spouses of fallen police officers, becoming the latest municipality on Long Island to enact the benefit.

A new state law this year allows local governments to adopt property tax exemptions for the spouses of police officers who died in the line of duty. The exemption is 50% of the property's assessed value and only applies to primary residences.

Last month, the Hempstead town board approved a property tax exemption for disabled veterans, a new benefit that also took effect this year. Last week, town boards in North Hempstead and Oyster Bay approved the disabled veterans tax break. Oyster Bay also approved the exemption for surviving spouses of slain officers.

“Sadly, there are too many instances where police officers have made the ultimate sacrifice,” Hempstead Town Supervisor John Ferretti said at last week’s town board meeting. “This enormous loss is emotionally devastating to family, friends, neighborhoods, and fellow men and women in blue.”a

That loss can cause financial distress for the spouses of fallen officers, Ferretti said.

“Providing property tax relief is the very least that the town board can do to say thank you to the spouses of police officers who have given their lives to serve and protect others,” Ferretti said.

The board adopted the measure 7-0.

In recent weeks Brookhaven, Islip, Riverhead, Babylon, Smithtown and Huntington approved some of the new tax exemptions. Several school districts have also adopted the exemption for officers' spouses.

According to the Officer Down Memorial Page website, 15 police officers in New York died in line of duty deaths last year. Fourteen of those were from 9/11-related illnesses, and one was from gunfire, according to the website.

The exemption will apply to the spouses of police officers who died from 9/11-related illnesses, according to Hempstead Town's website.