While Chautauqua County officials say they plan on adopting a local law that would give volunteer firefighters a break on their property taxes, it won’t be in place for this year’s tax collections.

During the legislature’s Public Safety Committee meeting, Todd Thomas, assistant county attorney, said in order for the legislation to be adopted locally it would have to be approved by March 1.

Thomas explained that a change in the state law late last year permits counties to give volunteer firefighters up to 10% off their property taxes. The county would determine the exact amount.

Even if the county passes the local law, it wouldn’t apply to village, town, city or school taxes. In those cases, each taxing agency would have to give their own approval.

Legislator Terry Niebel, R-Sheridan, said he supports the concept but wants more time to explore the impact it will have on the budget and discuss further who would be eligible. “I’d like to have it done, but I’d like to have it done right,” he said.

Niebel said they need detailed information on who is eligible, including the number of calls or trainings a volunteer must respond to, in order to quality. There’s also questions on how long one must be a recognized volunteer firefighter for, before being eligible.

Legislature Chairman Pierre Chagnon agreed that the timeline is too difficult to meet for this month. “I’m fully in support of this opportunity for the volunteer fire departments but as Todd (Thomas) described it, we have a practical impossibility here to get this in effect by next week,” he said.

Niebel asked Emergency Service officials to discuss what they believe are some requirements and he said he would work with the tax department to try to figure out what impact this will have on their budget.

Chagnon said even though it’s too difficult to get approval this month, he supports the efforts to move it along now and not wait. “In terms of the volunteer fire departments, it will be important in their recruiting and retention efforts to know that this is coming, rather than, ‘oh, the county is just thinking about it,’ If we can move it along quickly, it will help their recruiting and retention,” he said.