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Seaford board adopts tax-exemption resolutions expanding benefits for surviving spouses of police, volunteer responders
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Summary
The Seaford Union Free School District Board of Education approved two resolutions expanding school property tax exemptions: one under RPTL section 471 for surviving spouses of police officers killed in the line of duty and a reauthorization/expansion under RPTL section 466-a for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers, including surviving spouses.
At a meeting of the Seaford Union Free School District Board of Education, trustees approved two resolutions to authorize school property tax exemptions for surviving spouses of line-of-duty deaths and to reauthorize benefits for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers.
Miss Meserel, who opened the public hearing for the volunteer responder exemption, said the change follows state action and is intended to allow surviving spouses of volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers killed in the line of duty to receive the exemption when the district adopts the required resolution.
The board read and approved a separate resolution to authorize applications under New York Real Property Tax Law section 471 to provide eligible surviving spouses of police officers killed in the line of duty with a school property tax exemption. The board then reauthorized the volunteer firefighter and volunteer ambulance worker exemption under RPTL section 466-a and adopted the state-authorized surviving-spouse expansion.
Details explained at the hearing: the volunteer-responder exemption may be for up to 10% of assessed value; minimum service requirements range from two to five years depending on local choice (Nassau County allows two years); a lifetime-exemption option is available after 20 years of service; and an unremarried surviving spouse may qualify where the death was in the line of duty. Miss Meserel also said the exemption "does not reduce the tax levy, but rather it shifts the burden to other taxpayers." She described an application and certification process typically completed before Jan. 2 for the following tax year and said applications must be filed with the local assessor/Department of Assessment.
The board handled the police-officer resolution (8f1) by motion and roll call and recorded affirmative votes. The volunteer-responder reauthorization (8f2) was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote; several board members responded "Aye." The meeting record does not specify a final numerical tally in the transcript but does record the resolutions as approved.
The resolutions implement changes made at the state level (the board cited Governor Hochul signing related legislation in December) and set local procedures for assessing eligibility and filing claims with Nassau County. The district emphasized that eligible properties must be the resident's primary residence and located within the Seaford district boundaries.
The board also noted that the certification and application steps are administrative: eligible residents must complete the required paperwork with the assessor to obtain the exemption. The hearing closed with no public comments on the item.
The board's next procedural steps are administrative: directing eligible applicants to the local assessment office and implementing the revised exemption language in the district's tax-exemption procedures. No further votes on these particular items were recorded at the meeting.
