COCHISE COUNTY, Ariz. (KGUN) — Arizona's property tax exemption for 100% service-related disabled veterans is now part of the state's baseline budget, making it a permanent protection going forward — though veterans affected by a recent Cochise County Assessor's Office error will not see relief on their 2026 taxes.
Earlier this week, I reported on a mistake by the Cochise County Assessor's Office that affected disabled veterans' property tax exemptions. Since then, state lawmakers and veterans have responded.
Related: Disabled veterans lose property tax exemptions after Cochise County assessor's office error
State Sen. David Gowen, who represents most of Cochise County as the LD 19 senator, said he heard from many unhappy veterans after cancellation letters were sent by the assessor's office.
"I always say, if you're willing to sign your name on a dotted line to die for our freedoms, then we should be fighting for you and making sure you get the benefits I believe you deserve when you come back," Gowen said.
Gowen said the response from veterans pushed lawmakers to act.
"If you continually pound and fight, scratch and claw, you can get something done up there," Gowen said.
Disabled veteran Brenden Tammetta was among those who reached out to state representatives, hoping to secure help for himself and fellow veterans.
"We could have saved so much money this year, so it's very unfortunate that we can't do that, but it's a lot of hope that you know the representatives and setters actually heard our call," Tammetta said.
With the exemption now embedded in the state budget's baseline, Gowen said it is effectively permanent.
"In the baseline means it's forever. We'd have to actively go in and remove it, and we're not going to do that," Gowen said.
However, the change will not apply to the current tax year. When asked whether anything could be done at the state level to help with 2026 taxes, Gowen was direct.
"There, anything that could be done at the state level to help with the current 2026 tax? No, our session is done," Gowen said.
While that is not the immediate relief Tammetta and other veterans were hoping for, he said the outcome still signals progress.
"They are actually listening to us. It was the fact that multiple people reached out that they understood, hey, this is something we need to work on," Tammetta said.
Applications for the exemption will open in January.
RELATED CONTENT| Disabled veterans lose property tax exemptions after Cochise County assessor's office error
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
