Director John Topping Seeks Tax Relief for 8th District Firefighters

It was reported earlier this month that Director John Topping brought forth a proposal for consideration by the Board of Directors that would provide a tax credit for 8th Utilities District Firefighters, Emergency Medical personnel and fire police. The Hartford Courant has a follow-up in this morning's paper, excerpts are found below:

The ordinance would give a $400 property tax exemption to volunteers who meet certain requirements. One requirement is that a volunteer must respond in a six-month period to 120 calls, 25 of which must be mutual aid to the town of Manchester.

The Eighth District has been trying to get a property tax exemption for its volunteers for years, said John Topping, a Democrat on the town's board of directors who used to be an Eighth District firefighter and a member of its board of directors.

Topping said the Eighth District's members do more than fight fires.

"They are involved in crowd control, blocking streets off. They just free up other police officers so that the police officers can go back to patrolling the town," he said.

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Eighth Utilities District Fire Chief Paul Litrico said his firefighters assist the town's paid firefighters with major events and fires.

"Because of the efforts and time the volunteers of our organization put in throughout the whole town, there should be some sort of compensation," Litrico said.

Topping proposed the ordinance to the town's board of directors this month and the board is scheduled to vote on it next month. Directors have expressed interest in approving it.

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Democratic Director Kevin Zingler said there are 40 to 50 people in town who would qualify for the tax exemption, which would cost the town about $16,000.

"When you put it all together, and the hours that these people are putting in volunteering for the town of Manchester ... they're donating well above $16,000 in time and money," Zingler said.