By Yendi Parker |

For anyone who has lived in Yuma, the sound of military aircraft overhead isn’t unusual. It’s part of daily life.

So perhaps it is fitting that an effort to significantly expand property tax relief for Arizona’s disabled veterans has roots here.

The reforms, championed by Rep. Michael Carbone, whose Legislative District 25 includes portions of Yuma and Maricopa counties, have unfolded over multiple legislative sessions. They significantly expand Arizona’s property tax benefits for disabled veterans, with additional changes taking effect in tax year 2027.

But the story didn’t begin at the Capitol. It began with his constituents.

Yuma resident and military veteran Josh Pembleton wrote the original constituent proposal and brought it to Carbone about two years ago. Fellow veteran Josh Wright also provided his thoughts and perspective as the idea developed.

“That makes me so proud, because it came from our citizens,” Carbone said.

Pembleton said the idea grew from conversations with veterans frustrated by Arizona’s existing property tax exemption system. Income restrictions and other requirements meant too few veterans were benefiting from the policies already in place.

He began looking at what other states were doing and saw an opportunity for Arizona to do better.

“I think it is more than fair to provide a benefit to those that have sustained lifelong injuries while providing service to our great country,” Pembleton said. “If the VA recognizes these veterans in reference to disability rating, we should too.”

Barry Todd, also a veteran, was part of the effort, listening to disabled veterans across Arizona about where the system was falling short.

“Our goal was never political,” Todd said. “We simply wanted the law to reflect the sacrifices veterans made and remove barriers that kept them from receiving benefits they had earned.”

That persistence eventually paid off.

Arizona now provides a full property tax exemption on the primary residence of qualifying veterans with a 100% service-connected disability. Veterans with service-connected disability ratings from 10% through 90% can receive property tax relief prorated proportionally according to their disability rating.

The reforms also removed the previous property-assessment ceiling for disabled veterans and provide protections for qualifying surviving spouses. Beginning in tax year 2027, disabled veterans and their surviving spouses will no longer be subject to the household income limits that previously prevented many from qualifying.

For Carbone, the changes represent a dramatic improvement in Arizona’s treatment of veterans.

“The thing that makes me the happiest is going from one of the worst to one of the best now,” Carbone said. “We want you to stay here in Arizona. And it is the right thing to do.”

House Republicans describe the resulting program as one of the most generous veteran property tax benefits in the nation. For those who helped push the reforms forward, the goal is to lead from the front while honoring veterans and making Arizona a place where they can afford to put down roots after their military careers.

Passing legislation, however, is only part of the job. Arizona’s county assessors now have to make it work.

Yuma County Assessor Stevie Seale said his office will be prepared to help local veterans navigate the new benefit when implementation begins.

“Starting in January 2027, Yuma County will be ready to implement this new law and make the process as clear and straightforward as possible for our veterans,” Seale said. “The Legislature got this right. This was an issue I advocated for while running for assessor, and it’s rewarding to see it become a reality and provide this benefit to those who have served our country.”

Veterans seeking the exemption will work through their local county assessor, putting those offices on the front line of turning the statewide reform into a tangible benefit for veterans and their families.

For Yuma Mayor Douglas Nicholls, the effort fits a community where supporting military families and veterans is part of its identity.

“Yuma is a community that takes a lot of pride in our military and veteran presence,” Nicholls said. “We want Arizona to serve as our veterans’ home after they retire. We welcome them here in Arizona and in Yuma.”

That commitment has earned national recognition. Yuma was named a 2025 Great American Defense Community, one of only three communities nationwide selected that year.

As a Yuma resident of eight years and the wife of an active-duty Marine now in his 21st year of service, I’ve seen that relationship firsthand. Here, military service isn’t something observed from a distance. It is woven into everyday life.

That’s also why this story is about more than property taxes.

Veterans who choose Arizona after leaving the military become our community members. Helping them build their next chapter here honors their service while strengthening the communities they join.

And maybe that is the best part of this story.

A Yuma veteran saw a problem and wrote a proposal. Other veterans lent their voices. Their state representative listened and carried the issue to the Capitol. Lawmakers acted. Now local officials will help deliver the benefit.

Years from now, most Arizonans probably won’t remember the bill numbers.

But disabled veterans and their families may remember something far more important: Arizona made it easier for them to remain in the place they chose to call home.

And behind that statewide change is a story with roots in a community where military service has never been an abstract idea.

It has always been part of life in Yuma.

Yendi Parker is an English teacher at Yuma Catholic High School. She also serves as the Eastern Arizona Chapter Manager for Our America and 3rd Vice President for the Arizona State Federation of Republican Women.