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Board sets public hearing on proposed volunteer fire/rescue tax incentive after staff outlines eligibility and cost estimates
Summary
Staff asked the Board to set a public hearing on a code amendment to provide a personal‑property tax relief incentive for volunteer fire/rescue personnel (eligibility would require certified service, e.g., 50 calls or 50 hours); the board scheduled a hearing for Aug. 17 and discussed $350–$500 scenarios and estimated fiscal effects.
County staff asked the Board to set a public hearing for a proposed code amendment to provide personal‑property tax relief for volunteer fire and rescue personnel, citing months of discussion with volunteer agencies.
Staff (Mueller) said the proposal would require verification by a volunteer’s chief (for example, a certification that an individual completed 50 calls or 50 volunteer hours in a year). The measure would apply to qualifying volunteers and could include those performing non‑response duties such as fundraising if they meet an hours‑or‑calls threshold. Mueller used $350 as an illustrative example based on a cited average vehicle value and noted the dollar amount had not been finalized. “At $350 a year, that's roughly $68,600,” staff said when describing a ballpark fiscal impact across roughly 196 volunteer personnel recorded in the county’s benefit calculation.
Board members discussed choosing amounts between $350 and $500 and whether a sliding or flat‑rate approach was preferable; several supervisors expressed support for an incentive that recognizes volunteer service. The board voted to set a public hearing for the code‑amendment discussion at the Aug. 17 regular meeting; staff will publish required notice and return with the draft ordinance and estimated fiscal impacts for a final decision.
