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Board hears proposal to expand volunteer firefighter and ambulance worker tax exemption to cover residents serving neighboring communities
Summary
A public hearing was held on a proposal to modify Rye's volunteer firefighter and ambulance worker tax exemption so Rye residents who serve neighboring communities would qualify for the exemption; board will consider a resolution on May 20.
The Rye City School District board heard a public presentation on modifying the local volunteer firefighter and ambulance worker tax exemption so that Rye residents who serve fire or ambulance squads in neighboring communities would be eligible for the same tax relief as volunteers who serve inside Rye.
Why it matters: Supporters said the change would remove a disincentive for Rye residents to volunteer for tri‑community emergency crews and align the city’s policy with a recent modification at the county level.
What was presented: Miss Perruccio told the board that Westchester County recently modified its version of the exemption and that the City of Rye is “in the process” of adopting similar language. She said the proposed change would allow Rye residents who serve volunteer fire companies or ambulance squads in neighboring towns to receive the same exemption currently available only to those who both live in and serve in Rye. Miss Perruccio described the current rule as limiting for ambulance volunteers because Rye participates in a tri‑area ambulance crew and does not operate a stand‑alone district ambulance service.
Board process and next steps: The hearing was informational. Miss Perruccio said she plans to bring a draft resolution back to the board at the May 20 meeting for formal consideration if the board wishes to proceed. No vote was taken at the May 6 meeting.
Outstanding clarifications: The hearing referenced a county modification but did not cite the specific county statute or ordinance; the board asked clarifying procedural questions during the hearing and closed the public portion with a plan to return with formal language for board action.
Looking ahead: If a resolution is adopted on May 20, the board would need to adopt implementation language and coordinate with the city and county tax offices to apply the exemption to eligible volunteer service.
