- Northampton County Council introduced a measure Thursday that would create a new tax credit for volunteer firefighters and EMS workers in the county
- Members of volunteer firehouses or nonprofit EMS companies who own homes in the county would each receive an annual $250 credit toward their property tax bill
- A public hearing and vote on the proposal are scheduled for Oct. 5.
EASTON, Pa. — Volunteer firefighters and EMS workers in Northampton County could soon qualify for a new property tax rebate, thanks to a measure the county council introduced Thursday.
If the ordinance is adopted next month, officers for Northampton County volunteer fire companies and nonprofit EMS agencies who own homes in the county would receive a $250 credit toward their property tax bills each year.
If a volunteer is injured on an emergency call and cannot continue to serve as a result, they can receive the tax credit for the following five tax years.
Residents who co-own their home and qualify will each get a $250 discount on the home’s tax bill; a resident who owns multiple properties would receive only one $250 credit. Because the program is structured as a tax credit, qualified residents could not receive a payment if they owe less than their refund.
“They’re a group of folks... that do an incredible service, and I can sleep at night because they’re there, so I want to give a token of my appreciation.”Northampton County Commissioner Lori Vargo Heffner
To determine who can receive the credit each year, firehouses and nonprofit EMS companies would provide the county with a notarized list of members in good standing.
“They’re a group of folks that don't get paid for their service, that do an incredible service and I can sleep at night because they’re there, so I want to give a token of my appreciation,” said Commissioner Lori Vargo Heffner, who explained the measure at a Governance Committee meeting Wednesday.
She said she had been working on devising the program for months, after seeing similar tax credits in other nearby counties.
Commissioner John Goffredo asked Wednesday for a way to extend the program to volunteer first responders who rent their homes. Though his colleagues on the council seemed open to the idea, it wasn’t obvious how a similar program for renters would work.
The council will hold a public hearing and vote on the proposal on Oct. 5.
