Volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel in Broome County will be eligible for a property tax exemption under a new County resolution. County Executive Jason Garnar and the Broome County Legislature announced details of the proposal Thursday at the Port Dickinson Fire Department.
“Volunteer first responders sacrifice time with their own families in order to protect ours,” said Broome County Executive Jason Garnar. “Providing them with this tax exemption is not only a way to say ‘thank you,’ but it will help us attract more men and women to our dozens of local volunteer departments. I appreciate the work of our State representatives who helped pass legislation that allows us to pass on savings to our volunteers.”
“This is a great opportunity to provide some relief for those who do so much for our community,” said Broome County Legislature Chairman & 5th District Legislator Dan J. Reynolds. “This exemption will help address ongoing recruiting challenges and also show our volunteer First Responders how much we appreciate their service and sacrifices.”
Under the proposed resolution, volunteer firefighters and EMS workers that have served with their department for at least two years will be eligible for an exemption of up to 10% of the assessed value of their property. The introduction of this resolution was made possible following the passage of a bill through the State Legislature last June that allows local governments to provide this option to its property owners. The County resolution will be considered by the County Legislature as part of its February agenda.
