Woodbury, Tuxedo approve small tax breaks for volunteers

Woodbury, Tuxedo approve small tax breaks for volunteers

Volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers in the towns of Woodbury and Tuxedo may now file annually to have a portion of the assessed value of their primary residence exempt from town property taxes.

Due to a limitation in each of the towns’ new laws, imposed by the enabling legislation of the state and county, the benefit they will receive will be small. The volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers, if they file for the benefit, would be better off by about $5 or $10 per year.

Some local assessors refer to this latest course served up by Albany as “The Happy Meal” in that its value is equivalent to one Happy Meal per year from a McDonald’s restaurant.

The actions by the Woodbury and Tuxedo town boards are two of the latest notes in New York State’s governmental music. Officials said the tax break, however small, was in recognition of what volunteers contribute to their communities, particularly in the emergency services.