Tax break for military retirees barely passes Senate committee

By the barest margin, a Senate panel voted Wednesday to give an additional break in state taxes to military retirees despite the potential loss of $15 million in revenues.

SB 1167, approved on a 4-3 bipartisan vote by the Finance Committee, would allow those who have served for at least 20 years to exempt $10,000 of their pensions from the state income tax. That quadruples the current $2,500 exemption.

About 55,000 of the state’s estimated 550,000 veterans would qualify.

Sen. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford, told colleagues they should not look at her proposal as a tax break but as a “workforce development bill.”

“Military retirees bring with them diverse skills, education and experience that Arizona desperately needs,” she said.

Read more: http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2018/01/24/tax-break-for-military-retirees-barely-passes-senate-committee/