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Commissioners amend bill to create property tax credit for volunteer firefighters
Summary
During a public hearing on Legislative Bill 2025-014, commissioners agreed to amend the proposed volunteer-firefighter property tax credit to start at $250 and increase annually to a $500 cap; the amendment passed by voice vote and an amended bill will be ready for Dec. 9.
The Caroline County Commissioners on Nov. 25 held the second reading and public hearing for Legislative Bill 2025-014, a proposed new article to create a property tax credit for dwellings owned and occupied by active volunteer firefighters.
The bill’s notice of public hearing was read into the record; no written public comments were reported before the hearing. Commissioners discussed whether to set a specific dollar amount in the ordinance or leave amounts to be set annually by resolution. Staff explained the draft bill allows the county to set the annual credit amount by resolution so the code would not need yearly amendment.
Multiple members and attendees voiced support for recognizing volunteer firefighters’ service. Wayne Frederick, a Denton resident with 37 years of volunteer service, told the board that volunteer ranks have thinned while training requirements and costs have increased, and he cited neighboring towns that use tax incentives to encourage volunteer recruitment. "Times have changed... we have watched the decline," Frederick said, urging continued county support for volunteers.
After discussion, commissioners moved and seconded an amendment to the bill to set an initial property tax credit of $250 and increase the credit annually (the board settled on a $50-per-year increase) until the credit reaches a $500 cap. The motion to amend was seconded and adopted by voice vote; the board directed staff to prepare an amended bill for the Dec. 9 meeting when members may further amend or enact the ordinance.
The board also discussed budget implications and noted differences between counties (one commissioner cited that a 1-penny tax increase yields different revenue across counties). County staff and the county attorney advised that placing a specific dollar amount in the ordinance would simplify budgeting, but commissioners agreed to amend now and finalize language for the next meeting.
Next steps: County staff will draft the amended ordinance reflecting the $250 starting credit increasing by $50 per year to a $500 cap and publish the amended bill for the Dec. 9 meeting for further action.
