RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — With two weeks until Election Day, lawmakers are urging Virginians to vote for something they may not even know is on the ballot — but is supported by both Democrats and Republicans.
“We got a whole host of families that are really left out, and what this amendment will do is help fill that gap for those families,” State Sen. Jeremy McPike (D-Prince William) told 8News.
McPike is referring to a Constitutional Amendment that will appear on every ballot in Virginia.
Currently, the spouses of service members “killed in action” are already exempt from paying certain property taxes. However, the current rules don’t apply to the spouses of service members killed in the line of duty.
“Think about a helicopter crash or think about a training exercise where someone loses their life. In my view, those people died for their country all the same and we should not be treating people differently because they passed away the wrong way,” said Del. Phil Hernandez (D-Norfolk).