Section 466-H. 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 more than one hundred seventy-five
      thousand but not more than  one  hundred  eighty  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,  school  district  or  county  purposes,  exclusive of special
      assessments, provided that the governing body of a city, village,  town,
      school  district  or county, 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, school district or
      village 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 county provided that the governing body of  a  city,
      village, town, school district 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 2 § 466-h's