NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – This week, a state association called on county officials to make sure they aren’t overcharging veterans. This comes after WSMV4 revealed that Sumner County was making disabled veterans pay a tax they shouldn’t be paying.

Mike Mayo served in the Navy for four years and was in Vietnam twice. He now lives in Wilson County and recently went to the Wilson County Clerk’s office to renew the plates on his truck. There, Mayo was charged a $25 wheel tax, but as a fully disabled veteran, he knew he didn’t have to pay it. A wheel tax is charged when a person wants to renew their plates or register a vehicle.

“When I went there, I said, ‘It’s not supposed to be that much,'” Mayo said. “And they said, ‘No, it is and it will be. Someone told you something wrong.'”

Chris Shoemaker is a disabled veteran from Sumner County who raised the same issue at a county commission meeting this month.

“I asked for an apology, something that at least acknowledges, ‘Hey, we wronged people,'” he said at the meeting.

Since then, the Sumner County Clerk’s Office has admitted that they inadvertently charged disabled veterans. Ever since Shoemaker came forward to WSMV4, Mayo knew Wilson County might be in the wrong.

“I went home and told my wife, ‘I don’t think this is right, but I don’t know what to do,'” he said. “And lo and behold, a week later I had the report and said, ‘See, I told you so!'”

This week, an email from the County Technical Assistance Service was sent to county clerks across the state, informing clerks that there is no state law allowing counties to impose a vehicle tax on veterans who are 100% disabled.

Wilson County Clerk Jim Goodall admitted Thursday that they made the same mistake as Sumner. They believe about 100 veterans may have been wrongfully taxed.

“I think they’ll lose a little bit of money, but I don’t think they’ll lose that much,” Mayo said.

WSMV4 reached out to other counties in Middle Tennessee. So far, Sumner and Wilson have imposed a bicycle tax on disabled veterans. Montgomery, Williamson, Cheatham, Rutherford and Davidson said they have always made sure they are exempt from the tax.

Mayo wants this to be a lesson for veterans and show them what they are entitled to.

“If you are a veteran, please speak up,” Mayo said. “This is a privilege granted to you by the state for your service.”

Sumner County and Wilson County provide 100% tax refunds to disabled veterans who have paid vehicle taxes in the past six months. To qualify for the exemption, veterans must prove they are 100% disabled.

Mayo said he received two refunds from Wilson County.

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