NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – The Sumner County Clerk’s Office admitted it imposed an unfair tax on some veterans.
Chris Shoemaker is a 100% disabled veteran living in Sumner County. A few months ago, he tried to get a handicapped license plate. Shoemaker was charged a $51 vehicle tax, which he knew all 100% disabled veterans in Tennessee are exempt from.
“They said they’ve always done it that way,” Shoemaker told WSMV4 last week.
He went to the Sumner County Clerk’s office, where they noticed the error and refunded his money.
“They fixed it for me, but I asked what about the other veterans who did this,” Shoemaker said.
WSMV4 asked Jeff Oakey, Sumner County Veterans Services Director, that exact question.
“I don’t know,” he replied. “I know the caseworker is conducting a little research project to find out.”
Oakey said 1-3% of veterans in Sumner County are 100% disabled, so Oakey estimates dozens to 100 veterans may have overpaid last year.
“When the state issued a fee-free license plate, we implemented a fee-free vehicle tax,” said Sumner County District Administrator Carolynn Templeton.
She clarified that they deviated from Tennessee state law that provides veterans with a free disability plate. That law says they must pay the regular fee if they want a second plate. The Department of Motor Vehicle Tax office did the same, even though that law says veterans with 100% disability should be exempt.
“What do you say to those veterans who paid vehicle taxes when they didn’t have to?” asked Marissa Sulek of WSMV4 Templeton.
“We’re trying to do this right from now on. It wasn’t intentional, we followed the state’s guidelines,” she replied.
Templeton said so far six veterans have come forward to receive a refund and they plan to do the same for others.
“We used your story, or the attention that this story attracted, to track down veterans and bring them back so they can get their money back,” Oakey said.
The Sumner County Clerk’s Office said a disabled veteran who believes they have paid vehicle tax in the past six months can contact the office and request a refund, but they plan to notify veterans who have been wrongfully charged.
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