By Richard Ilgenfritz
Main Line Times & Suburban
LOWER MERION, Pa. — This week, the Lower Merion Finance Committee recommended approving this year’s list of volunteer firefighters and volunteer emergency medical service members who have qualified for the property tax credit.
The tax rebate program was adopted by Lower Merion Township in 2017 and gives real estate tax credits to volunteer members of volunteer fire companies located in Lower Merion. The tax credit is for Lower Merion Township property taxes. County and school district property taxes have to be done by the school board and the county commissioners.
“The ordinance grants real estate tax relief at 100% Township tax credit for active volunteer firefighters/ambulance personnel who reside in and own property in the Township,” according to a staff memo on the program. “Credit is only extended to volunteers who accumulate enough points by responding to emergency calls, training and fulfilling other duties for the fire or ambulance company. Once the Board of Commissioners approves the eligibility list, volunteers may then apply for the tax credit provided they have paid their real estate tax for the year.”
The approvals being done this month will be for property taxes paid for the 2024 tax year.
Adam Szumski, chief financial officer for Lower Merion, outlined details of the rebate program for the commissioners and the public.
“The total amount of this rebate across all the eligibility list totals about $38,000, which falls probably well short of the benefits conferred from all that hard volunteer work,” Szumski said.
Last year, which was for the tax year of 2023, 44 individuals were eligible for the program. They were reimbursed $37,753, or an average of approximately $858 per volunteer. Last year was the third year the tax relief percentage was 100% compared to the previous cap of 20% of Township real estate taxes.
This year, 47 individuals met the criteria for the program.
“It is so important that we, as a board and as a community, support our volunteers because they save our lives and our property,” Lower Merion Commissioner Scott Zelov said.
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