There’s a call for the passage of legislation aimed at helping those who are there to help you.
Supporters are hoping New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signs the Volunteer Firefighter & EMS Tax Credit Bill.
“I enjoy coming here, I want to be here,” said 17-year-old volunteer firefighter Jaxson Markert, who hopes to make firefighting a career. “It’s definitely a sense of accomplishment. Like I’ve done something. I’ve had a purpose to do something, and it’s helped people, even if I’ll never talk to them again or ever see them again.”
Markert was on hand for a news conference at Monroe County’s Chili Fire Department calling on Hochul to sign the bill, which calls for a tax credit increase from $200 to $800.
“The training requirements have increased. The time commitment has increased. The cost of living has increased. Yet the state’s volunteer firefighter and ambulance worker tax credit has remained at just $200 for nearly two decades,” said state Assemblywoman Andrea Bailey.
The bill would also allow eligible volunteers the opportunity to receive both the state income tax credit and a local property tax credit where offered, rather than choose one or the other as it stands now.
“We could not function without our volunteer firefighters,” said state Sen. Pamela Helming. “Public safety is our number one priority, right? We should be doing everything in our power to protect our communities, and that means supporting the firefighters and ambulance workers.”
Edward Tase, the former president of Firefighters Association of the State of New York, the union representing volunteer firefighters across the state, has been pushing for this change for some 20 years.
“One thing the volunteer fire service will do, they will never say no,” said Tase. “They’re always there. Whether the snow, rain, floods, and they don’t always just put the wet stuff on the red stuff. It’s all about community service and that’s why we are in the volunteer fire service.”
The leaders also say this legislation won’t just help with the effort to retain current volunteers, but could go a long way in their efforts for recruitment.
“Recruitment, retention is a big thing right now. We’re working hard at it, but this little incentive from $200 to $800 will help us with that,” said Tase.
The legislation has passed both houses of the state Legislature with bipartisan support.
“I have the feeling that because I showed up, I’ve made somebody’s worst day that much better,” said Markert. “And that’s a great feeling for me.”
The next step is a sign off on the legislation by the governor.
FASNY says there are 80,000 volunteer firefighters across the state of New York.
This legislation calls for that tax credit for both volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers.