The Lake County Department of Community Services, Veterans Services Division, unveiled a program in 2008 that reimburses homeowners a portion of their property taxes if they have served on active military duty in a combat zone during the past 10 years. For each qualifying year, the property-tax reimbursement is equal to the homeowner's ad valorem taxes to the Lake County Board of County Commissioners or $1,000, whichever is less.

Requirements and exceptions of the program are:

• There are no income requirements for residents applying for the Active Military Combat Duty Reimbursement program
  
  
• Eligibility for Active Military Combat Duty Reimbursement Program:
  
  
  • Qualified service members include any Lake County resident who is a homeowner and has or is serving on active military combat duty.
    
    
  • Is or was on active duty and served a minimum of 30 days of active military combat service after January 1, 2002.
    
    
  • A combat zone shall only be those designated by the United States Department of Defense.
    
    
  • Service members applying for the reimbursement will be required to provide proof of their combat service, such as leave and earning statement, reflecting combat pay, letter from unit commander attesting to combat duty and dates, or any other acceptable official document specifying dates of combat duty.
    
    
  • Service members applying for the reimbursement will be required to show proof of receiving homestead exemption on the property during the qualifying year and proof of payment of county ad valorem taxes during qualifying year.
    
    
  • A service member whose military service was interrupted due to being wounded in action or by any other serious medical condition and is unable to meet the time requirement also qualifies for the reimbursement.
    
    
  • An un-remarried spouse of a qualifying service member who was killed in combat will also qualify for the grant. The spouse will be eligible regardless of the amount of time served in a combat zone by the decedent.
    
  • Eligibility for the program will extend 10 years from the last period of service in a combat zone.

For more information or to apply for the program, call Tom Osebold, Director of the Lake County Veterans Services Division at (352) 742-6586, or complete an application and fax it to (352) 742-6588.