466-C*3 - Volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers; certain county.

* §  466-c.  Volunteer  firefighters  and volunteer ambulance workers;  certain county. 1. Real property owned  by  an  enrolled  member  of  an  incorporated  volunteer  fire  company,  fire department or incorporated  volunteer ambulance service or such enrolled member and spouse  residing  in any county having a population of more than forty-three thousand four  hundred  inhabitants  but  less  than  forty-three  thousand six hundred  inhabitants, determined in accordance with the latest decennial  federal  census,  shall  be  exempt from taxation to the extent of ten percent of  the assessed value of such property for city, village, town, part  town,  special  district  or county purposes, exclusive of special assessments,  provided that the governing body of a city,  village,  town  or  county,  after  a  public  hearing,  adopts a local law, ordinance, or resolution  providing therefor; provided further, however, that such exemption shall  in no event exceed three thousand dollars multiplied by the latest state  equalization rate for the assessing  unit  in  which  real  property  is  located.    2.  Such  exemption  shall  not be granted to an enrolled member of an  incorporated volunteer fire company,  fire  department  or  incorporated  volunteer ambulance service residing in such county unless:    (a) 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;    (b) the property is the primary residence of the applicant;    (c)  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  section; and    (d)   the  applicant  has  been  certified  by  the  authority  having  jurisdiction  for  the  incorporated  volunteer  fire  company  or  fire  department  as  an  enrolled  member of such incorporated volunteer fire  company or fire department for at least five years or the applicant  has  been certified by the authority having jurisdiction for the incorporated  voluntary  ambulance  service as an enrolled member of such incorporated  voluntary ambulance service for at least five years.  It  shall  be  the  duty  and  responsibility  of the municipality which adopts a local law,  ordinance or resolution  pursuant  to  this  section  to  determine  the  procedure for certification.    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 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 or  other agency,  department  or  office  designated  by  the  municipality  offering  such  exemption 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.* NB There are 7 § 466-c's