§ 1-7-72. Definitions.

Active military combat duty. Active military combat duty means military personnel serving in an active capacity, including but not limited to active duty personnel, reservists and National Guard personnel in Iraq or Afghanistan for forty-five (45) days or more, or who have been medically evacuated from either Iraq or Afghanistan due to combat-related physical injury, regardless of the number of days in the Iraq or Afghanistan, or those who have been killed in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan, regardless of the number of days served in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Ad valorem property taxes paid. Ad valorem property taxes paid are those property taxes of Charlotte County actually paid by the qualified military personnel (QMP) or his or her un-remarried spouse, in the case of personnel who have been killed in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan, who are the intended recipients of these grants for any ad valorem tax year included in this article pursuant to section 1-7-73, which shall not include taxes levied by any other governmental entity than the board of county commissioners.

Homestead exemption. Homestead exemption means the property described in Section 6(a), Article VII of the State Constitution.

Proof of combat service. Proof of combat service, medical evacuation or combat death may include: a copy of DD Form 214 or equivalent document, copy of official orders specifying actual dates of service, copy of paid travel pay vouchers with attached orders, letter from respective unit commander or personnel office stating the active duty period, or any similar documentation required by the rules established by the division of veterans affairs.

Qualified military personnel (QMP). Qualified military personnel includes residents who (i) owned, resided and had a homestead exemption upon property in Charlotte County on January 1, 2006 or later; (ii) were serving in the military; and (iii) were deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan during the 2007 ad valorem tax year or any subsequent ad valorem tax year, and have served a total of forty-five (45) days or more in Iraq or Afghanistan, or who have been medically evacuated from Iraq or Afghanistan due to combat-related physical injury, or who were killed in combat in either Iraq or Afghanistan, regardless of the number of days served in Iraq or Afghanistan. The term "qualified military personnel" shall also include the unremarried spouse of personnel who have been killed in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan, regardless of the number of days served in Iraq or Afghanistan by the deceased.

(Ord. No. 2007-019, § 1, 4-24-07)