Neshaminy School Board approves $800 tax refund for volunteer firefighters, fire police
Volunteer firefighters and fire police officers who live within the Neshaminy School District and answer at least 25% of the calls to their fire stations will receive an $800 real estate tax refund from the district.
The Neshaminy School Board unanimously approved the refund at its meeting Tuesday night.
Board member Cyndie Bowman said the tax refund is being given in appreciation of the fire volunteers’ dedication to public safety and the communities they serve.
School District Business Manager Donald Irwin said that about 95 residents of the municipalities within the school district are volunteer firefighters or fire police members and would be eligible for the tax refund.
Pennsylvania enacted law to help with recruitment
The refund was made possible through a Pennsylvania law enacted in 2020 which provides the real estate tax credit of up to $800 as a way to incentivize citizens to volunteer for fire service. It applies to all volunteer firefighters and fire police who have been members of their fire company for at least a year and responded to 25% of calls in the previous year.
Bowman said that the fire companies do not have to be within the school district, but the members applying for the tax credit need to be residents who pay real estate taxes to the school district.
Bowman said she thought Neshaminy was the first school district in Lower Bucks to approve the tax refund for the fire company volunteers.
Both David Williams, president of the Feasterville Fire Co., and Steve Link, president of the Langhorne-Middletown Fire Co., praised the board for approving the refunds. Link told the board members the measure was “something you should be very proud of.”
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Neshaminy to give volunteer firefighters, fire police $800 tax refund
