Connetquot board schedules hearings on firefighter and low‑income senior property tax exemptions

The Connetquot Central School District Board of Education voted to hold public hearings on two proposed property‑tax exemptions: a statewide volunteer firefighter and volunteer ambulance worker exemption that would reduce the service minimum from five years to two, and an increase in the income thresholds for the low‑income senior citizen and disabled persons exemption.

Why it matters: Both exemptions reduce property tax bills for targeted residents. The board must choose whether to adopt the changes; if it does, the fiscal effect would shift some property tax burden to other taxpayers in the district.

Details of the firefighter exemption: Under current local practice, a volunteer firefighter or ambulance worker who owns and lives in their primary residence must serve five years to qualify for a 10% exemption of assessed value. The proposed change would lower that service requirement to two years while maintaining the 10% assessed‑value exemption. Mr. Hauser, presenting the proposal, said the change aims to help recruit and retain volunteers.

The district presented an Islip‑wide example: the Town of Islip granted 167 volunteer exemptions; the total assessed value covered on those exemptions was shown as $717,000 in the town’s slide materials. The district provided an estimate of the tax shift if those exemptions applied to Connetquot residents: the example showed the effect would be modest for individual homeowners — roughly a few dollars to tens of dollars per year depending on assessed value (for example, an illustrative $50,000 assessed home would see an increase on the order of about $10.87 in the district example, per the slide material). The administration cautioned these were illustrative numbers.

Anne Danziger, identified in the presentation as the Town of Islip assessor, told the board that lowering the service threshold from five to two years would likely increase the number of qualifying volunteers by only about 10%, because many newer volunteers do not yet own and occupy homes.

Low‑income senior/disabled exemption: The district already participates in an income‑based exemption that offers up to a 50% assessed‑value exemption on a sliding scale for qualifying low‑income seniors and disabled persons; the current local income eligibility limit cited in the presentation is $29,000. The Town of Islip and Suffolk County have adopted higher income thresholds (up to $50,000) and a broader scale. The administration presented an example showing that raising Connetquot’s income eligibility to match the town/county thresholds could increase taxes on other homeowners by illustrative amounts (the slide showed, for example, an approximate $65 annual increase for a $50,000 assessed home under the town’s figures); the district stressed these were sample calculations.

Board action: The board voted by voice to set public hearings on Feb. 11, 2025, for both proposals. The motions to schedule the hearings were moved and seconded on the record; the clerk recorded voice votes with “Aye.” The board also set the formal resolution process and public hearing timeline required before adoption. At the hearing, members of the public will have an opportunity to speak before the board considers final resolutions.

Next steps: The district will hold the public hearings Feb. 11. If the board adopts either exemption after the hearings, the change would be implemented according to state law timelines and local tax‑roll procedures.

Sources: Presentation slides and statements from Mr. Hauser (business office presenter) and Anne Danziger (Town of Islip Assessor).