Village to discuss property tax break to fire, ambulance corps volunteers

Warwick — Following in the footsteps of both the county and the town, the Village of Warwick will discuss giving fire and ambulance volunteers who live in the village a partial property tax exemption from their village taxes. Mayor Michael Newhard said it would be a good thing to do for the volunteers. The Village Board agreed. “We’ve got to do something to give people the incentive to volunteer,” said Trustee Roger Metzger. Just last month, the Town Board approved a 10-percent exemption of up to $3,000 off the full assessment of property to those volunteers who qualified. The county started the trend about six months ago. 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. The Florida School District agreed last week to give its volunteers the same exemption and the Warwick Valley School District plans to discuss the idea soon. 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 the primary residence. Those with 20 years of services receive a lifetime exemption. Fire chiefs from Warwick, Florida, and Greenwood Lake all welcomed the exemption, calling it an incentive to get and keep volunteers in a climate where volunteers are spread very thin. The next Village Board meeting is March 20.