Bill would allow tax incentives for volunteer firefighters, EMS

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In an effort to recruit and retain volunteer emergency responders, a state lawmaker is proposing to allow municipalities to give some tax relief to EMS and firefighter volunteers.

State Rep. Ryan Warner, R-Fayette, is the prime sponsor of the bill, which would allow for volunteers to receive a tax credit of up to 20 percent of their earned income and property tax liability.

It would allow communities to recognize the "value of and the absence of any public cost for volunteer fire protection and emergency medical services provided by active volunteers," according to the bill.

"We all depend on these hard-working and dedicated first responders, who voluntarily put themselves in harm's way in order to protect our children, homes and businesses," Warner said in a statement. "It is time we ask what we can do for them."

Comments

Anonymous said…
Where is the money coming from? TAX PAYERS!
November 5, 2015 at 9:56 PM
Anonymous said…
Perfect timing. This bill needs to be passed ASAP. (By the way, I am not a volunteer firefighter though I was back in my younger days). It is either this or we can pay for a paid fire department which cost millions of dollars. I just wish we had a way to take back some of the welfare dollars and put it do this cause. I watched a supposedly disabled person in a wheel chair complain when a local resident wanted her to move as the resident needed to move her car around fire hose laying in the the 300 block of Avenue H on the night of the fire on Walnut Street. The supposed disabled person flipped out because of the simple and civil request. I doubt very much the wheel chair bound victim of society is paying taxes to support out community.
November 5, 2015 at 11:01 PM
Anonymous said…
I know some people were parked in the alley legitimately when the fire broke out and needed to go home from work. If the person in the wheelchair was just watching, what was the problem in moving to accommodate another? Other people have needs too. I spoke to a few people at the fire scene myself and while most were very kind and wanted to help, there were some that were simply uncivilized. Those rude, backward, few make it hard to keep focused on "good". The ignorant give Columbia a bad name and we haven't been able to change that yet.
November 6, 2015 at 5:54 AM
Anonymous said…
there SHOULD be a fire tax on EVERY INDIVIDUAL 18 YRS AND OLDER EVERY YEAR! attach it to the head tax. (which don't get me started....there SHOULD be a head tax for EVERY INDIVIDUAL 18 YRS AND OLDER. with close to ONE THOUSAND RENTALS IN THE BORO can you imagine just how much money that would be. majority of these tenants use every available FREE resource available. time to BREAK THE BROKE SYSTEM.
November 6, 2015 at 6:31 AM
Anonymous said…
Unfortunately, we do have some residents that act like hillbillies, well no, they aren't acting.
November 6, 2015 at 6:32 AM
Anonymous said…
There are families in this town that look for fights. That's what they know.
November 6, 2015 at 7:47 AM
Anonymous said…
Do all the people in Sec. 8 housing pay taxes? No because they don't tell the truth how many live in them. That is head tax.
November 6, 2015 at 10:18 AM
Anonymous said…
yeah $15 a head. ridiculous...create a renters head tax for EVERYONE 18 AND OLDER....START AT $500 OR $1000.00 EACH PER YEAR. BETCHA GET RID OF all the low life scum REAl quick
November 6, 2015 at 2:00 PM
Anonymous said…
Section 8's is a joke! All you have to do is go and see who owns these section 8's and you will see the people that are very well off!!
November 6, 2015 at 5:20 PM
Anonymous said…
Renters should have to pay some kind of tax because we are paying to educat there children not that I think we should not pay to educate them but they should have to help to.
November 7, 2015 at 8:40 AM
Anonymous said…
i agree. all us taxpaying homeowners are WHO has to pay for ALL these hundreds or thousands of tenants and their kids. this would be the PERFECT way to get rid of all the scum bags....ENACT A RENTERS HEAD TAX FOR ALL 18 YRS OLD AND OLDER.....AT LEAST $500 A YEAR. Boro mgmt pay attention...heres an answer to all the bs with the tons of rentals.
November 7, 2015 at 12:19 PM
Anonymous said…
I'm not sure that all renters should be blamed. The landlords could pay closer attention to their properties and the people living in them. Landlords need to put some demands on their tenants.
November 7, 2015 at 1:59 PM
Anonymous said…
Why should I have to pay a head tax, if I rent? I work a 40 hour plus job, I don't let my boys run the streets, I volunteer with the fire department. I served my country 4 yes in the USMC....
Did you go out last Tuesday and VOTE? If the answer is no, then you have no right to bitch...
In the last 19 yes as a volunteer I have over two hundreds of hours of training, I RISK my life everytime I respond to someone emergency inside and outside this boro..
If you want to bitch abut a new tax bill that will give emergency responders a break that is well deserved. I just you go down to the firehouse and sign up to be a firefighter and see what it takes.....
November 7, 2015 at 5:54 PM
Anonymous said…
Well said!
November 7, 2015 at 8:45 PM
Anonymous said…
Perhaps it's time we realize that a fire company system from the 19th century doesn't work in the 21st century?

November 8, 2015 at 11:35 AM
Anonymous said…
you SHOULD have to pay a head tax if you rent. why???? because the few hundred HOMEOWNING TAXPAYERS in this Boro ARE SUPPORTING YOU AND YOUR KIDS. I don't have any children in school anymore (and haven't for 10 years. WHY SHOULD I PAY PROPERTY TAX????? AND ALL YOU THOUSANDS OF RENTERS PAY ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. THE GOV'T PAYS MOST OF YOU TO DO NOTHING. this is an outrage.
November 10, 2015 at 2:00 PM
Anonymous said…
What pocket is the government putting money in? because I'd like to know..... the government takes money out of my paycheck every two weeks just like the rest of you.... at the end of the year I do my income tax pay my taxes just like the rest of you.....
You choose to buy a house I choose to rent a house..... I have pay school taxes every year just like everyone else. You pay property tax because you choose to own property if you do not like the fact then sell your property and rent.
November 11, 2015 at 11:13 PM
Unknown said…
Oh good LORT..
IT'S ONLY MONEY AND THEY PROVIDE A SERVICE WE NEED....
SHHHHH
November 12, 2015 at 6:29 PM
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