Texas County Assessor: Disabled Prisoner of War Exemption

Missouri's one veteran property tax exemption is Article X, Section 6 of the Constitution; the Missouri entry explains it. The Texas County Assessor's "Obtain" page sets out the November 2, 2010 amendment (House Joint Resolution 15) exempting "all real property used as a homestead as defined by law of any citizen of this state who is a former prisoner of war, as defined by law, and who has a total service-connected disability", which "mandates the exemption without requiring any action of the general assembly". Who qualifies, in the page's words: the applicant must "1) be a former prisoner of war and 2) a veteran of any branch of the armed forces of the United States or this state who became one hundred percent disabled as a result of his or her military service, and must 3) own and occupy the homestead as a primary residence." Proof. Documents or a sworn affirmation that the applicant lives in the homestead as a primary residence; a letter from the United States government or VA showing the service-connected total disability; and a DD-214 showing ex-prisoner of war status, or a letter from the National Personnel Records Center (NARA) or VA saying the applicant is a former prisoner of war. Where it narrows the Constitution. The page says "one hundred percent"; the Constitution says "total", which VA also pays on individual unemployability, so a former prisoner of war paid at the total rate that way should send that VA letter and ask. The page was last edited in 2019; ask the Assessor's office at 210 N. Grand Avenue, Suite 201, Houston (417-967-4709) for its current form.