Public hearing June 5 to discuss village tax exemption to fire, ambulance volunteers

Warwick — Following in the footsteps of both the county and the town, the Village of Warwick will hear from the public June 5 on whether to give fire and ambulance volunteers who live in the village a partial property tax exemption from their village taxes. Earlier this year, the Town Board approved a 10-percent exemption, up to $3,000, off the full assessment of property to those volunteers who qualified. The county started the trend last year. The actual amount of the exemption is far less since properties throughout the town are not assessed at full value. At the current equalization rate of 14 percent, the exemption would be about $420, saving about $16 on county and town taxes. Village volunteers who qualify would save about $9 on their village taxes. Warwick Fire Chief Frank Corkum Jr., a 22-year veteran of the department who is serving his sixth year as chief, said he was grateful for the exemption when the town passed it, and views it as much an incentive to get new members as a tax break. “Our lives are busy,” said Corkum. “There are more and more volunteer activities here. I view this as another tool in my bag to entice people to join.” The Florida and Chester school districts have passed similar measures. The Warwick Valley central school district plans to discuss the idea. To qualify for the exemption, one must be a certified member of the volunteer group for a minimum of five years, own the property and have it be their primary residence. Those with 20 years of services receive a lifetime exemption. Fire chiefs and elected officials welcomed the exemption, calling it an incentive to get and keep volunteers in a climate where volunteers are spread very thin. “We’ve got to do something to give people the incentive to volunteer,” said trustee Roger Metzger when the issue was first discussed by the board.