Last month the Greenburgh Town Board approved tax breaks for volunteer firefighters and ambulance corp members. We were advised that the law does not authorize the town to grant exemptions to the Fairview Fire company, Greenville Fire Company and Hartsdale Fire Dept—only to departments that have 100% volunteer fire depts...

Assemblyman Brodsky’s legislative director Jim Malatras sent me a letter today indicating that section 466-d of the Real Property Tax Law “states that the town may grant property tax exemptions to an enrolled member of an incorporated volunteer fire company, fire department or incorporated voluntary ambulance service…I’ve checked with the Department of State and they have indicated that all three volunteer companies have been incorporated. Further investigation reveals that while the Fairview Fire Company was incorporated in 1911, it was done so under DutchessCounty. Consequently, it appears that Greenvilleand Hartsdale are entitled to the tax exemption in WestchesterCounty, but Fairviewwould be eligible under the section of the Real Property Tax law pertaining to DutchessCounty.”  If the Assemblyman is correct, I believe that the town should offer exemptions to volunteers who serve all the 3 paid fire depts..

CORRECTION—meeting on airport noise tomorrow in Pt Chester, not July 1.

PAUL FEINER

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