MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Va. — Montgomery County volunteer fire and rescue personnel will receive a 60% reduction in personal property taxes on their vehicles under a measure approved by the Board of Supervisors.
Volunteers who work at least 200 hours will pay $1 per $100 of assessed vehicle value, down from the standard rate of $2.55, The Roanoke Times reported.
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The change would reduce the tax on a vehicle assessed at $5,000 from $127.50 to $50. Volunteers serving Blacksburg, Christiansburg and unincorporated parts of the county are eligible.
Elliston Fire Chief Joshua Tickle told supervisors the incentive could encourage members to remain active.
“I believe that this will help retain people, get people more active, and help y’all show your appreciation to us as volunteers,” Tickle said.
Sixty-four volunteers have applied for the reduced rate, according to County Administrator Angie Hill. County officials estimate the program would reduce annual tax revenue by about $52,000 if 150 volunteers participate.
The incentive is one part of a larger discussion about the future of Montgomery County’s fire and rescue system. A recent assessment found that three additional stations will eventually be needed to serve the growing county.
The county has also expanded its career emergency response workforce as volunteer numbers have declined. It employed two full-time responders in 2021, compared with 50 today.
As officials consider the assessment’s recommendations, supervisors have called for more attention to responder health and safety, better data collection and input from current volunteers.
Supervisor Todd King, a Riner Volunteer Fire Department member, said plans should account for the different needs of individual communities.
County supervisors and the Christiansburg Town Council are scheduled to meet Aug. 17 to discuss how the proposed fire and rescue initiatives could be funded.
Would tax incentives like this meaningfully improve volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention, or would other benefits make a bigger difference?
