Hauppauge board adopts three property-tax exemption resolutions for volunteers, seniors and people with disabilities

The Hauppauge Union Free School District Board of Education on Feb. 25, 2025 adopted three resolutions to continue or expand local property-tax exemptions for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers, for homeowners 65 and older, and for qualified residents with disabilities.

The board held public hearings before each vote. For the volunteer exemption, the board considered continuation of a 10% reduction in assessed value for eligible volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers under RPTL 466-a and a change in the minimum service requirement from five years to two years. A resident asked whether police officers could be added to that exemption, saying, “I think they deserve it also to have the same partial exemption that you're offering to the firefighters,” and noting that police are often first responders. The board attorney replied that the state law the board was acting under “only addresses volunteer ambulance workers and volunteer firefighters.” The board said staff would look into whether any other exemption could apply to police officers.

Board members also considered and adopted related resolutions to increase income limits for exemptions…