NM lawmakers propose tax cuts for veterans
Posted at: 02/06/2012 8:41 PM
By: Stuart Dyson, KOB Eyewitness News 4
It was a big day at the state capitol for New Mexico veterans, who rallied with the governor for some of her pet projects to make their lives a little easier.
We are talking jobs and money - music to anybody's ears, but especially for veterans returning home and those retiring with military pensions.
Governor Susana Martinez backs a proposal to give retiring veterans a 25 percent tax exemption on their retirement pay that would gradually climb to 100 percent by 2016.
She also favors giving a $1,000 tax exemption to employers who hire veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
"They have sacrificed and risked their lives to fight enemies of our country half a world away," Martinez said. "They come home, take off their uniforms, and find that there are no job openings."
The governor also favors a bill that would expand benefits for members of the New Mexico National Guard and Reserve units.
In the Capitol rotunda, Martinez singled out 92-year-old Chester Nez for special recognition. He is one of the few surviving Navajo code-talkers.
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