Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Oct. 24 that he signed legislation to extend property tax exemptions available to eligible United States veterans to include school taxes. "Our veterans answered the call and risked their own personal safety and their lives in order to defend the ideals and principles that this nation and this state were founded upon," Cuomo said. "This measure allows local school districts to extend the same property tax breaks as local governments do, allowing them to honor the service of these incredibly courageous New Yorkers." The bill he signed (S.1724/ A.5135) would extend the veteran's property tax exemption to include school taxes in New York State. In 2013 and 2016 the alternative veteran's property tax exemption and Cold War property tax exemption were amended to give school districts the options of allowing the exemption. With this legislation, all three veteran's property tax exemptions would be consistent and apply to school taxes.