Section 466-C. Volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers; certain county  


Latest version.
  • 1. Real property owned  by  an  enrolled  member  of  an
      incorporated  volunteer  fire  company,  fire department or incorporated
      voluntary ambulance service or such enrolled member and spouse  residing
      in  any  county  having a population of ninety-five thousand inhabitants
      but less than ninety-six thousand inhabitants, determined in  accordance
      with  the latest decennial federal census, shall be exempt from taxation
      to the extent of ten percent of the assessed value of such property  for
      city,  village,  town,  part  town,  special  district, county or school
      district purposes, exclusive of special assessments, provided  that  the
      governing  body  of  a  city,  village, town, county or school district,
      after a public hearing, adopts a  local  law,  ordinance  or  resolution
      providing therefor; provided further, however, that such exemption shall
      in no event exceed three thousand dollars multiplied by the latest state
      equalization  rate for the assessing unit in which such real property is
      located.
        2. Such exemption shall not be granted to an  enrolled  member  of  an
      incorporated  volunteer  fire  company,  fire department or incorporated
      voluntary ambulance service residing in such county unless:
        (a) the applicant  resides  in  the  city,  town,  village  or  school
      district  which is served by such incorporated volunteer fire company or
      fire department or incorporated voluntary ambulance service;
        (b) the property is the primary residence of the applicant;
        (c)  the  property  is  used  exclusively  for  residential  purposes;
      provided  however, that in the event any portion of such property is not
      used exclusively for the applicant's residence but  is  used  for  other
      purposes,  such  portion  shall be subject to taxation and the remaining
      portion only shall  be  entitled  to  the  exemption  provided  by  this
      section; and
        (d)   the  applicant  has  been  certified  by  the  authority  having
      jurisdiction  for  the  incorporated  volunteer  fire  company  or  fire
      department  as  an  enrolled  member of such incorporated volunteer fire
      company or fire department for at least five years or the applicant  has
      been certified by the authority having jurisdiction for the incorporated
      voluntary  ambulance  service as an enrolled member of such incorporated
      voluntary ambulance service for at least five years.  It  shall  be  the
      duty  and  responsibility  of the municipality which adopts a local law,
      ordinance or resolution  pursuant  to  this  section  to  determine  the
      procedure for certification.
        3. Any enrolled member of an incorporated volunteer fire company, fire
      department  or incorporated voluntary ambulance service who accrues more
      than twenty years of active service and is so certified by the authority
      having jurisdiction for the incorporated volunteer  fire  company,  fire
      department or incorporated voluntary ambulance service, shall be granted
      the  ten  percent  exemption  as  authorized  by  this  section  for the
      remainder of his or her life as long as his or her primary residence  is
      located within such a county provided that the governing body of a city,
      village,  town  or  county,  after a public hearing, adopts a local law,
      ordinance or resolution providing therefor.
        4. Application for such exemption shall be filed with the assessor  or
      other  agency,  department  or  office  designated  by  the municipality
      offering such exemption on or before the taxable status date on  a  form
      as prescribed by the state board.
        5.  No applicant who is a volunteer firefighter or volunteer ambulance
      worker who by reason of such status is receiving any benefit  under  the
      provisions  of  this article on the effective date of this section shall
      suffer any diminution of such benefit because of the provisions of  this
      section.
    
        * NB There are 7 § 466-c's