Tax break will help keep fire department


To the editor:

I am writing in response to the article titled “New Board Created to Mull Taxes” that appeared in The Jamestown Press Jan. 19.

The fire department/EMS are endlessly in need of qualified, reliable volunteers. The solution is for the town council to consider a property tax abatement of up to $5,000 per year to those members who meet specific training and fire/ rescue event participation criteria. That proposal is similar in structure to the current incentive program, but far more generous.

Is it too generous? When you compare a maximum $5,000 per year tax subsidy to the cost of a professional firefighter, the answer is obvious. A paid department would require a full crew scheduled 24/7. The loss of our volunteer department not only will precipitate a dramatic increase in taxes, but we also will lose the spirit of volunteerism the department brings to our community. This is not fear mongering. It’s the reality of where the fire/rescue is headed if allowed to continue down its current path.

By implementing this incentive program, the town can accomplish two important goals: keeping the cost of living on the island as reasonable as possible through relatively low property taxes, while making housing much more affordable for those who are critical to keeping it low.

Having spoken to various fire department members throughout the years, I can tell you our volunteers do not contribute their considerable time and effort for financial gain, however, the reality is that without tax relief we soon will be at the point where there are too few volunteers living on the Island to maintain a viable department.

The Jamestown Volunteer Fire Department has been in existence since 1891. Let’s not allow it to disappear on our watch.

Daniel Shapiro
Narragansett Avenue