The County Legislature recognizes the roles of the volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers in securing the safety and well being of our communities.  The County Legislature hereby finds that it is in the best interests of the County of Clinton to encourage volunteerism for said purposes.  The New York State Legislature has recently amended the Real Property Tax Law by adding a new Section 466-j to authorize the County to permit enrolled volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers to be eligible for a real property tax exemption.  To that end, by providing the following exemption it is the intent of the County Legislature to so encourage volunteerism for our various fire and ambulance companies.

1. Real property owned by an individual who has been an enrolled member of an incorporated volunteer fire company, fire department or incorporated voluntary ambulance service in Clinton County or such enrolled member and spouse who resides in Clinton County shall be exempt from taxation to the extent of ten percent of the assessed value of such property for county purposes, exclusive of special assessments.
    
2. Such exemption shall not be granted to an enrolled member of an incorporated volunteer fire company, fire department or incorporated voluntary ambulance service residing in such county unless:
    
   
   1. the applicant resides in the city, town or village which is served by such incorporated volunteer fire company or fire department or incorporated voluntary ambulance service;
       
   2. the property is the primary residence of the applicant;
       
   3. the property is used exclusively for residential purposes; provided however, that in the event any portion of such property is not used exclusively for the applicant’s residence but is used for other purposes, such portion shall be subject to taxation and the remaining portion only shall be entitled to the exemption provided by this law; and
       
   4. the incorporated volunteer fire company or fire department or incorporated voluntary ambulance service has certified that the applicant has been an enrolled member of such incorporated voluntary fire company, or fire department, or incorporated voluntary ambulance service for at least five years and remains an active enrolled member.
       
3. Any enrolled member of an incorporated volunteer fire company, fire department or incorporated voluntary ambulance service who accrues more than twenty years of active service and is so certified by the authority having  jurisdiction  for  the incorporated volunteer fire company, fire department or incorporated voluntary ambulance service, shall be granted the ten  percent  exemption  as  authorized  by  this  section  for  the remainder  of his or her life as long as his or her primary residence is located within such county provided that the governing body of  a  city, village,  town, school district, fire district or county, after a public hearing, adopts a local law, ordinance or resolution providing therefor.
4. Application for such exemption shall be filed with the assessor on or before the taxable status date on a form as prescribed by the state board.
5. No applicant who is a volunteer firefighter or volunteer ambulance worker who by reason of such status is receiving any benefit under the provisions of this article on the effective date of this section shall suffer any diminution of such benefit because of the provisions of this section.

Volunteer Firefighters and Ambulance Work Application