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This entry was published on 2022-12-16
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SECTION 466-D*3
Volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers
Real Property Tax (RPT) CHAPTER 50-A, ARTICLE 4, TITLE 2
* § 466-d. Volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers. 1.
Real property owned by an enrolled member of an incorporated volunteer
fire company, fire department or incorporated voluntary ambulance
service or such enrolled member and spouse residing in a county which
has a population of more than nine hundred thousand and less than nine
hundred fifty thousand persons, shall be exempt from taxation to the
extent of ten percent of the assessed value of such property for city,
village, town, part town, school district, special district or county
purposes, exclusive of special assessments, provided that the governing
body of a city, village, town, school district, or county, after a
public hearing, adopts a local law, ordinance or resolution providing
therefor.

2. Such exemption shall be granted to an enrolled member of an
incorporated volunteer fire company, fire department or incorporated
voluntary ambulance service residing in such county only if:

(a) the applicant resides in the city, town or village which is served
by such incorporated volunteer fire company or fire department or
incorporated voluntary ambulance service;

(b) the property is the primary residence of the applicant;

(c) the property is used exclusively for residential purposes;
provided, however, that in the event any portion of such property is not
used exclusively for the applicant's residence but is used for other
purposes, such portion shall be subject to taxation and the remaining
portion only shall be entitled to the exemption provided by this
section;

(d) the applicant has been certified by the authority having
jurisdiction for the incorporated volunteer fire company or fire
department as an enrolled member of such incorporated volunteer fire
company or fire department for at least five years or the applicant has
been certified by the authority having jurisdiction for the incorporated
voluntary ambulance service as an enrolled member of such incorporated
voluntary ambulance service for at least five years. It shall be the
duty and responsibility of the municipality which adopts a local law,
ordinance or resolution pursuant to this section to determine the
procedure for certification; and

(e) (i) for volunteer firefighters, the area served by the volunteer
fire company does not encompass any area served by a fire company having
five or more professional firefighters.

(ii) for volunteer ambulance workers, the area served by the volunteer
ambulance company does not encompass any area served by an ambulance
company having five or more professional ambulance workers.

3. Any enrolled member of an incorporated volunteer fire company, fire
department or incorporated voluntary ambulance service who accrues more
than twenty years of active service and is so certified by the authority
having jurisdiction for the incorporated volunteer fire company, fire
department or incorporated voluntary ambulance service, shall be granted
the ten percent exemption as authorized by this section for the
remainder of his or her life as long as his or her primary residence is
located within such a county provided that the governing body of a city,
village, town, school district or county, after a public hearing, adopts
a local law, ordinance or resolution providing therefor.

4. Any volunteer firefighter or volunteer ambulance worker of such
county who is or becomes permanently disabled due to the exercise of his
or her duties as such firefighter or ambulance worker and who is
prevented from being certified as an active service member shall be
entitled to the annual certification during the period of his or her
disability.

5. Application for such exemption shall be filed with the assessor or
other agency, department or office designated by the municipality
offering such exemption on or before the taxable status date on a form
as prescribed by the commissioner.

6. No applicant who is a volunteer firefighter or volunteer ambulance
worker who by reason of such status is receiving any benefit under the
provisions of this article on the effective date of this section shall
suffer any diminution of such benefit because of the provisions of this
section.

* NB There are 4 § 466-d's

* NB Repealed December 9, 2025