Depending on the locality, as a resident you could be paying your property tax anywhere from one or two times a year.
Personal property tax is the amount a person pays for their car, truck or motorcycle. In addition, all of the localities — Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, York County and James City County — charge residents for boats, mobile homes and machinery and tools.
However, for those who don’t use their vehicle less than half the time for business can qualify for tax relief.
Ann Thomas, commissioner of the revenue for York County, said the state allocates a certain amount of money to each locality in the form of grant to offset the amount of revenue lost because of the city’s tax relief program.
In York County, it gets 54 percent for the state.
The chart below show how much the tax rate is for each locality and how much each city gets reimbursed by the state for the personal property relief program.
Every year, Hampton gets the same amount of money to offset the personal property tax relief program, said Nancy Strickland, chief deputy for the commissioner of revenue.
How much? About $15.4 million.
“We have to calculate so we have enough money,” she said, adding the money is used so taxpayers can pay less personal property tax. “We get that same amount every year.”
Hampton, like other localities, also has an ordinance about disabled veterans receiving property tax relief. According to the localities’ websites, disabled veterans can qualify for a low tax rate or not pay property tax at all for one vehicle.
In James City County, the city has been providing that form of relief for 30 years, said Richard Bradshaw, the commissioner of revenue.
Bradshaw noted the veteran does not have to be considered 100 percent disabled to qualify. For example, if the veteran lost an eye, arm, leg or is blind, he or she will be exempt from paying property tax.
In addition, the veteran must provide documentation from the Department of Veteran Affairs to prove he or she is considered “permanently and totally disabled.”
When asked if someone who has post-traumatic stress disorder was eligible for a tax break, Strickland said no, unless he or she is considered permanently and totally disabled or 100 percent disabled by the VA.
WYDaily reached out to the Newport News commissioner of revenue, who did not immediately respond to multiple inquiries about the property tax program.
It’s unclear what percentage of revenue Newport News receives from the state.