Newfield holds public hearing on tax exemption for firefighters and medics

On Jan. 17, a public hearing was held in the Newfield High School library to discuss a proposed exemption on school taxes for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers. The exemption specifically pertains to the Newfield school tax region.

Perry Gorgen, Newfield Central School District (CSD) business administrator, stated that during the 2022-23 New York state legislative session, various exemptions were consolidated into one. This consolidation left local jurisdictions responsible for adopting new rules on their own.

Tompkins County and the town of Newfield had already implemented this tax exemption for their respective county and town taxes last year. Consequently, the county’s and town’s existing language and rules will be applied to this new proposal.

“[The town has] already collected applications from residents in the Newfield school district area who are eligible, so we know in advance,” said Gorgen. “It might not be perfect because somebody could move in or move out, but we know that there are approximately six properties that are eligible for this tax exemption.”

Eligibility for this tax exemption is contingent on being a member of a local incorporated volunteer fire company, fire department or incorporated voluntary ambulance service, with necessary verification from the relevant organization. Once an applicant has qualified, the exemption provides a 10% reduction in the assessed value of the property for the lifetime of the applicant. Additionally, this benefit may extend to the surviving spouse under specific conditions. Importantly, the exemption is based on the applicant’s years of service rather than age.

The resolution specifies four criteria for tax exemption eligibility. First, a minimum of two years of service with an incorporated volunteer organization in Tompkins County is required, along with residency in the service area and the property being used exclusively as the primary residence. 

Second, volunteers with at least 20 years of service are eligible for a lifetime exemption, subject to the same residency and property conditions. 

Third, un-remarried spouses of deceased volunteers who served for a minimum of 20 years and were already beneficiaries of the exemption qualify. 

Finally, the exemption extends to un-remarried spouses of volunteers who were killed in duty, provided they had at least five years of service and were receiving the exemption prior to the volunteer’s death.

This exemption implies that the broader taxpayer base will absorb a slight increase in taxes to compensate for the exemptions granted. According to Gorgen, the 2024 tax assessment figures from the county are still pending. However, Jay Franklin from the Tompkins County Assessor’s Office has conducted an analysis using the previous year’s assessment data to estimate the impact.

“In the Newfield School District, the median home is assessed at about $187,000,” said Gorgen. “This would have meant an additional $1.97 for a median assessed home and another way to look at that is it’s just over a penny per thousand dollars of assessed value that is an additional payment from the rest of the tax base.”

According to Gorgen, the legal adoption process for this tax exemption involves several key steps: reviewing the town’s regulations, obtaining a financial forecast from the county assessment office, collaborating with legal counsel to draft a resolution and conducting a public hearing. All of these measures have already been completed.

The forthcoming steps include presenting the resolution, questions and feedback from the public hearing to the school board in February. At this meeting, the board will vote to either adopt or reject the exemption. Should it be approved, the exemption will be implemented for the tax collection year of 2024, which is the 2024-25 school year.

According to Eric Hartz, Newfield CSD superintendent, if the exemption is accepted and implemented, its management will fall under the county’s jurisdiction. This means that individuals will need to apply through the county, which will be responsible for determining eligibility and processing applications. A key motivation behind this exemption is to incentivize more people to become volunteer firefighters or ambulance workers.

The board is scheduled to vote in February on whether to advance the proposal. Following this, there will be another vote in May. Detailed eligibility criteria are outlined in the resolution under Real Property Tax Law Section 466-a. Copies of the proposed resolution are available by contacting the Newfield CSD business administrator’s office, either by phone at 607-564-9955, ext. 4121, or by emailing pgorgen@newfieldschools.org.

In brief: 

‘Mind Over Body’ with Mitch Raymond at NPL

Mitch Raymond will host a session on enhancing mind-body connectivity through movement and specialized techniques. This event is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 25, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Newfield Public Library.

Town board work session

The Newfield Town Board holds a work session on the fourth Thursday of each month. The upcoming session is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 25 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The meeting can be attended over Zoom. The link can be found on the Town of Newfield website calendar. Community attendance is highly encouraged. 

Explore Alaska with Marty Clark at NPL

Marty Clark will recount his road trip to Alaska with photographs and tales from his journey. The event will be held at Newfield Public Library on Monday, Feb. 26, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.