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Legislature backs expanded tax exemptions for surviving spouses of volunteer emergency responders
Summary
The committee passed local laws to align county exemptions with state changes, increasing the surviving-spouse exemption to up to 50% of assessed value for volunteers killed in the line of duty and continuing a separate 10% exemption for surviving spouses of members with 20+ years of service. Paul Wiley said only a handful of residents are expected to qualify.
On Feb. 24 the Ways and Means Committee approved local-law language to align Orange County's real-property tax exemptions for surviving spouses of volunteer firefighters and ambulance service members with recent state changes.
Paul Wiley, Director of Real Property Tax Service, explained the local law updates expand an existing exemption from 10% to up to 50% of assessed value (per amendments to New York Real Property Tax Law §466-a) for surviving spouses of volunteers killed in the line of duty and removes the prior "unmarried spouse" requirement so a surviving spouse who remarries could still retain the exemption. Wiley said the exemption applies only to county taxes, not town or school levies, and estimated only a handful of county residents would qualify. The committee also approved a separate local law to continue a 10% exemption for surviving spouses of enrolled members who accrued at least 20 years of service.
Legislators asked about county administration and where eligible spouses should seek guidance; Wiley suggested contact with the local assessor's office. Both local laws were adopted by the committee.
