On Tuesday, the Arizona House passed HB 2153, sponsored by Rep. Sonny Borelli, which exempts a surviving spouse and a dependent of a deceased United States military member from paying a vehicle license tax (VLT) and registration fee for a vehicle. Reps. Finchem and Shope co-sponsored the bill.
Rep. Mark Cardenas supported the bill and questioned those who wanted the benefit to be subject to means testing. He stated that surviving families receive set benefits that they must make last for years after their loved one’s death.
Rep. Bob Thorpe stated of his “yes” vote, “It is my hope and desire that we make Arizona as friendly as possible to military families. I think they make it a better place. They are selfless folks, and I applaud anything we can do for them.”
Rep. Kelly Townsend stated, “I just want to speak to this issue as a widow myself. I was’nt a military widow but it seems like just yesterday,” she said referring to the death of her husband. Townsend said that while the Arizona legislators want to “do something about the VA and we can’t” because it is a federal issue. She said that the VLT exemption was one of the few things the State can do. “One of the things I remember very clearly were the gifts we received from people who didn’t know to say,” to her and her children after her husband’s death. “I remember the assistance we received from friends. We didn’t need the help, but it made such a difference. Words can further the hurt,” explained Townsend. No words can make the loss less, but Townsend said gifts simply brought the comfort of knowing that someone was thinking of the survivors. “I vote on behalf of the widows in this state,” concluded Townsend.