At the end of 2010, an exemption from income taxation on incentives that many local communities provide to their volunteer firefighters and EMTs as a reward for their service expired. As a result, thousands of volunteer emergency responders across the country will have to pay higher taxes this year without Congressional action.
Fortunately, Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Susan Collins (R-ME) have introduced the Volunteer Responder Incentive Protection Reauthorization Act (S. 933), which would extend a law that was enacted in 2007 with the support of the NVFC and took effect in 2008 exempting all property tax benefits and up to $360 per year of other types of benefits that volunteers receive as a reward for their service. S. 933 would increase from $360 to $600 the amount of “other benefits” exempt from income taxation per year.
The National Volunteer Firefighters Council urges you to contact your senators today and tell them to co-sponsor S. 933 rather than raising taxes on volunteer emergency responders.
