Assembly moves toward small tax break for firefighters

Volunteer firefighters and paramedics may be eligible for a small property tax break next year. Though the volunteers won’t save much on their taxes, borough officials see the change as a expression of appreciation for the essential work firefighters and paramedics perform.

At its May 23 meeting, the borough assembly unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance that would offer a $10,000 property tax exemption to qualified firefighters and emergency medical services personnel. Before the change becomes official, the borough must hold a second reading and a public hearing on the ordinance, both of which are scheduled for the June 13 meeting.

The tax break will save the fire department’s 20 volunteers and staff about $100 per year each, depending on where the borough assembly sets the mill rate. It will not go into effect until next year.

“Their contribution is huge,” Fire Chief Tim Buness said of the volunteers.

Between the ambulance, search and rescue and fire department, volunteers take one call per day on average, he said. Last week, for example, these unpaid workers were awake between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. Monday and Tuesday for search and rescue calls. The remainder of their week was filled with ambulance and medivac calls, plus training in a simulated ATV crash.

While Buness doesn’t anticipate that the small tax break will have a financial impact on personnel, the gesture is appreciated. “I don’t know that monetarily it’s so huge for them,” he said. “It’s a dedicated bunch that basically, they’re doing it for nothing. They don’t complain about it, they do their job and they do it very well.”

Mayor Patty Gilbert came up with the ordinance while she was reviewing Alaska state statutes. After discovering that communities can opt to provide tax breaks to firefighters and other emergency service providers, she was surprised that Wrangell hadn’t yet taken advantage of the opportunity.

“I latched onto it,” said Gilbert. “I took it through the municipal code committee, which consists of me and assembly member Anne Morrison and our borough clerk (Kim Lane). Other communities are doing this, so we’re pushing it through.”

“I just think it’s a good thing for the community,” she continued. “It might help inspire other community members to join the fire department and EMS.”