Irondequoit board schedules public hearing on local law for property-tax exemption for surviving spouses of fallen officers

The Irondequoit town board at its Feb. 9 workshop authorized a public hearing on a proposed local law to apply a state-authorized property-tax exemption for surviving spouses of police officers killed in the line of duty.

Chief and staff described the change as a state-approved benefit that requires municipal action to add the exemption to local tax rolls. Under the provision discussed at the workshop, an eligible surviving spouse would be entitled to a 50% reduction in property-tax liability; staff said the town assessor brought the provision to the board's attention.

Pete Waner, who prepared a proposed local law after the packet deadline, explained that the change should be framed as an assessed-value exemption under local code to match the state provision. Board members noted the measure would apply to past cases as well as future ones; when a member asked whether the exemption is retroactive the chair replied affirmatively and the board discussed pursuing the change for affected families.

The board authorized the hearing and said it would reach out to affected school districts (West Irondequoit and East Irondequoit were mentioned) to coordinate implementation, because school tax rolls must also reflect any local-level change.

Next steps: the town will schedule the public hearing at a future meeting (packet discussion indicated March as the timing for other hearings); staff will circulate the draft local law and work with the assessor and affected school districts on administrative steps needed to implement the exemption if adopted.