Fairfax, Va., Nov. 4, 2007... Earlier today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax (HEART) Act of 2007, which excludes from taxable income any property tax benefit and up to $360 per year of all other payments from a state or local unit of government to volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel.
“This is a good first step to protect state and local incentives for America’s hardworking firefighters and EMS personnel,” said IAFC President Chief Steven P. Westermann upon learning of the bill’s passage.
VCOS Chairman Chief Tim Wall added, “This is good news for the volunteer fire service. The commitment and timing of Representative John Larson to work with the volunteer fire service is greatly appreciated and we look forward to working with Representative Larson in the future to increase the $360 cap.”
Volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel face ever-increasing demands on their time due to growing emergency call volumes, training and the struggle to balance the career and family obligations of today’s two-income families. To help them, state and local governments provide a number of incentives, including reduced property taxes, banquets, free municipal water and other benefits. In 2002, the IRS began to count such local volunteer incentives as taxable income.
The IAFC and other national fire-service organizations worked with Representative John Larson (D-CT) and Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT) on the Volunteer Responder Incentive Act (H.R. 943/S. 1466). A modified version of this bill was added to the HEART Act. The original legislation excluded from employment taxes all property tax rebates and other benefits provided to volunteer firefighters and emergency medical responders. In an October 17 letter, Chief Westermann stressed to the House Ways and Means Committee the benefits of fully protecting volunteer incentives from IRS taxation. This letter was read by Representative Larson into the record at the October 17 committee hearing on the overall HEART Act.
Looking to the next step in the legislative process, Chief Westermann said, “The IAFC will work with Senator Dodd and the legislation’s supporters in the Senate to ensure passage of the HEART Act in this Congress.”
the Fair Oaks Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company
http://www.fovfr.org/article.php/20071107120522634