WHEREAS, Since the Revolutionary War, more than one million American soldiers have died in battle
and military conflicts; their families, who have endured these losses and the accompanying grief, are
known as Gold Star Families and their spouses as Gold Star Wives; and Gold Star Families are a living
legacy of each fallen soldier to help us all remember and honor these heroes by name and deed, and
WHEREAS, on April 5 2021 the Seventy-third General Assembly of the State of Colorado issued
Senate Joint Resolution 21-010, resolving on behalf of the citizens “That we, the members of the
Colorado General Assembly, honor the pride and the pain of the parents and partners and children and
siblings of our fallen heroes who lost his or her life serving our country and protecting our freedom; and
recognize the families of these proud patriots with an expression of profound gratitude and respect” and
WHEREAS, in 2006 the citizens of Colorado overwhelmingly approved by amendment to the State
Constitution Article X Section 3.5 the Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption for totally disabled
service-connected military veterans; and in 2014 the Colorado Legislature established the Disabled
Veteran Surviving Spouse Property Tax Exemption for surviving spouses of totally disabled veterans
already in receipt of the exemption by HB14-1373, and
WHEREAS, the sacrifices of Gold Star Families are to be honored with respect as well as material
support and
WHEREAS, surviving spouses of servicemembers who die on active duty are only by the technicality of
their servicememember’s death not being in receipt of the exemption thereby denied the exemption, and
WHEREAS, this distinction between survivors of totally disabled veterans already in receipt of the
Disabled Property Tax Exemption and survivors of active duty servicemembers (“Gold Star Wives”)
denied the exemption solely due to the death of their spouse while in service is an offense to the honor
of the State, contrary to the Seventy-third General Assembly of the State of Colorado Senate Joint
Resolution 21-010, and contrary to the intentions of Colorado citizens’ approval of Article X Section
3.5 as presented in the 2006 Referendum E, and
WHEREAS, the Colorado Department of the American Legion and the Gold Star Wives are both
member organizations of the United Veterans Coalition of Colorado, and
WHEREAS, either a legislative or constitutional amendment process being necessary, it may suffice that
a redefinition of “disabled veteran” to include a death on active duty, or other such procedure as the
General Assembly shall direct; and that surviving spouses of Colorado Air and Army National Guard
members who die while activated by the Governor for State service should also receive such respect and
benefits, it is therefore
RESOLVED, by the George Beach Post 4 of the Department of Colorado that inclusion of unremarried
Gold Star Wives and unremarried surviving spouses of State National Guard members who die while
activated by the Governor for State service, be included in the Disabled Veteran Survivor Property Tax
Exemption because it is both necessary and proper, that the United Veterans Coalition be informed for
this to be part of its state legislative objectives until acted upon; and the Colorado Board of Veterans
Affairs and all relevant committees of the Colorado General Assembly be informed of this Department’s
wish that efforts by them be undertaken for inclusion of Gold Star Wives in the Disabled Veteran
Survivor Property Tax Exemption with a goal of implementation before 2023.
