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Yorktown board adopts 5% school‑tax exemption for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers
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Summary
After a public hearing and a resident plea, the Yorktown Central School District Board voted to adopt a 5% partial school‑tax exemption for qualifying volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers, applying to properties with at least two years’ service and effective for taxable status dates on or after May 1, 2026.
The Yorktown Central School District Board of Education on April 13 adopted a resolution granting a 5% partial school‑tax exemption to qualifying volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers, after a public hearing in which residents and board members expressed support.
At the hearing, Jeff Wilson, president of Yorktown Heights Engine Company No. 1, urged the board to adopt an incentive to help recruit and retain volunteers, saying, “We are 100 volunteer,” and describing the department’s heavy service and community outreach. Superintendent Dr. Hatter told the board his analysis shows 37 parcels in the district would be affected and estimated that a 5% exemption with a two‑year eligibility baseline would reduce district school tax revenue by “just under $20,000 in the aggregate,” which he illustrated as roughly a $2 per year increase on a $10,000 school tax bill when the cost is spread across all taxable parcels.
The resolution, read aloud by the board president, adopts provisions of the Real Property Tax Law (cited in the resolution as section 466‑a) to grant a partial exemption to owners whose primary residence is in the district and who are enrolled, certified members of an incorporated volunteer fire company or voluntary ambulance service with at least two years of applicable service. The measure also includes a lifetime continuation of the 5% exemption for members with more than 20 years of active service and provisions to extend or reinstate the exemption for qualified, unremarried surviving spouses under statutory conditions.
Board members discussed verification and recommended following the town’s existing model for certifying eligibility (the town uses a two‑year minimum and a point/participation verification system). The administration recommended that approach so the district and town’s eligibility verification processes align. Several board members voiced support for beginning with the town’s model to limit implementation complexity.
After a brief exchange clarifying lifetime and surviving‑spouse provisions, the board moved, seconded and approved the resolution by voice vote with no recorded opposition. The district clerk was directed to send certified copies of the resolution to the assessors of the municipalities that comprise the district. Dr. Hatter reminded the board that, to affect the 2026 tax roll, the board needed to adopt the exemption by the April meeting cycle; the resolution specifies taxable status dates occurring on or after 05/01/2026.
Supporters said the exemption is intended to recognize volunteer service and encourage retention of property‑owning volunteers; administration materials noted that, as the volunteer ranks change over time, the number of affected parcels could grow. The board and administration also discussed implementation mechanics—including using the town’s point verification for participation and activity—and the estimate of district fiscal exposure was presented to give context for the policy choice.
The board approved the resolution to adopt the partial real property tax exemption under the Real Property Tax Law as read and directed the district clerk to notify municipal assessors. No formal numeric roll‑call tally was provided in the public transcript.
The board’s action follows public comment and an administrative analysis; next procedural steps include implementation guidance between the district and municipal assessors and communicating eligibility verification to volunteer organizations and taxpayers.
