The board has scheduled a public hearing for June 7, during its first meeting of the month, to discuss this proposal.
The Cortlandville town board in Cortland County is planning to introduce a new law that would grant volunteers, and first responders, a 10% property tax break
The law, drafted by Town Attorney John DelVecchio, closely resembles a similar measure recently adopted at the county level by county legislators. Under the proposed local law, volunteer firefighters from the Cortlandville Fire Department would be eligible for a tax exemption equivalent to 10% of their assessed property value. To qualify, individuals must be registered with the department for a minimum of two years.
They would need to submit an application and certification to the town’s property value assessor annually in order to receive the tax relief. Furthermore, the property in question must be the primary residence of the volunteer. The law also includes provisions to extend the tax exemption to spouses of deceased volunteer firefighters.
In the case of a deceased firefighter who died in the line of duty, their spouse, if not remarried, would continue to receive the 10% exemption
However, the deceased firefighter must have been a member of the department for at least five years. For spouses of deceased firefighters who did not perish in the line of duty, the tenure requirement would increase to 20 years. Town Board member Gregory Leach raised concern about potential conflicts between the town’s exemption and other benefits provided by the state, specifically regarding the school tax relief (STAR) exemption.
Town clerk Kristin Rocco-Petrella clarified that the STAR exemption solely applies to the school tax bill, while the proposed local law aims to assist homeowners with their property taxes. The STAR exemption is designed for low-income homeowners earning less than $250,000 annually. The Cortlandville town board seeks to alleviate the financial burden on volunteer first responders by implementing this property tax break, supporting their crucial service to the community.
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