# Volunteer Firefighters Federal Tax Credit?



## Jon (May 10, 2005)

Bill Would Give Volunteer Firefighters Federal Tax Credit 



Updated: 05-09-2005 03:26:07 PM
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BEN WEINSTEIN
Firehouse.Com News

If passed by the U.S. Congress, a proposed bill would give volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians a $1,000 annual federal tax credit. 

Sen. Charles Schumer’s (D-NY) SERVE Act – Supporting Emergency Responders Volunteer Efforts Act of 2005 – would give bona fide members of volunteer firefighting and emergency medical service organizations a $1,000 tax credit. 

But while a few states and some local governments already have volunteer emergency responder tax incentives in place, efforts to pass similar federal bills in the past have failed. 

<snip>

But because volunteer numbers have been declining steadily in recent decades, the U.S. government should offer incentives to help recruit and retain emergency workers, Sharman said. Additionally, he added, the country's newfound appreciation for first responders has helped push legislation beyond pre-9/11 efforts. 

<snip>

"[Tax incentives are] just part of the battle, not a solution," Delaware Volunteer Fireman’s Association executive secretary Jim Cubbage said. Delaware reimburses volunteers for "expenses incurred for the purchase of clothing, equipment, motor fuel and other essential items necessary to perform duties." 

More here

Clicky

And it is on firehouse.com, so it is REALLY Free - no signing up for anything, etc.

Jon


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## Phridae (May 11, 2005)

> _Originally posted by MedicStudentJon_@May 10 2005, 09:12 PM
> *
> And it is on firehouse.com, so it is REALLY Free - no signing up for anything, etc.
> 
> *


 Whats all that about?


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## SafetyPro2 (May 11, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Phridae+May 10 2005, 11:32 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>*QUOTE* (Phridae @ May 10 2005, 11:32 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-MedicStudentJon_@May 10 2005, 09:12 PM
> *
> And it is on firehouse.com, so it is REALLY Free - no signing up for anything, etc.
> 
> *


Whats all that about? [/b][/quote]
 I think its a statement about the newspaper site links that sometimes get posted where you have to "register" and provide your name, address, e-mail, etc. in order to read the article.


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## TTLWHKR (May 11, 2005)

I write off all my whacker crap, uniforms, and whacker wear (as job expenditures)   .

I see Unimed has been taken over by Go Innovations.. So of course I had to start to tax write off season early and buy the complete collection of "Miller Bags".


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## rescuejew (May 11, 2005)

You can also deduct, as a member of public service, $8/day for meals.  That was a 2K deduction for me this year!


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## jafo (May 11, 2005)

This legislation has been brought up before. Not to take too much away from the good Senator, but this is really a "Feel Good becuase I am working for YOU" kind of thing. Our congressman has been bringing this up every year for the last several years. It gives them a lot of press coverage when things are slow. We buy it everytime they do it. But the Bills go nowhere.
 Yeah, I'd be happy if they just let me deduct my POV fuel expenses at MARKET VALUE for responses to calls. How come a business can deduct milage at 40cents/mile and Volunteers can only deduct 14 cents/mile? Is my time less valuable?
 Until they actually do something, I will continue to look at this as the smoke and mirror show that it is. Just politicians yanking our chains.
 Jafo


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## ma2va92 (May 11, 2005)

> _Originally posted by jafo_@May 11 2005, 06:16 AM
> *This legislation has been brought up before. Not to take too much away from the good Senator, but this is really a "Feel Good becuase I am working for YOU" kind of thing. Our congressman has been bringing this up every year for the last several years. It gives them a lot of press coverage when things are slow. We buy it everytime they do it. But the Bills go nowhere.
> 
> smoke and mirror show that it is. Just politicians yanking our chains.
> Jafo*


when it comes true then I'll say Thank You


Right now.. it's just like .. what already has been said politcians .. making noise .. running around in there area.... putting on a show.. getting miles and meals .. so they can have more to right off .. for there taxes...

We have one of them that lives right down the street from the squad.... says he is a big supporter of us and Volly RS.... yet we see him election years only and when he would like stuff signed...


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## rescuejew (May 11, 2005)

How poetically put Jafo, and absolutely right on the money.

There are all kinds of tax loopholes though.  For example, speaking of mileage: If you leave your full time job and go teach a class, or go sit in a work related class, or go to a second job, WITHOUT GOING HOME in between: all mileage and an extra meal can be deducted.  

(I'll all about finding ways to screw the govt who so easily and without remorse screws me...  )


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## rescuecpt (May 11, 2005)

Being in NY, we have a lot of local credits popping up - school district, property taxes, state taxes... Federal too would be great - Schumer is just jumping on the band wagon of all the local politicos around here.


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## Jon (May 11, 2005)

Yeah.. It would be nice.

I wrote off EVERTHING this year.... whacker outfits to make Blue/TTLWKR proud, 2 stethascopes, Streamlight Stinger to replace the one stolen, 8k in medic tuition... Need I continue??


Jon


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## Jon (May 11, 2005)

> _Originally posted by SafetyPro+May 11 2005, 01:43 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>*QUOTE* (SafetyPro @ May 11 2005, 01:43 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think its a statement about the newspaper site links that sometimes get posted where you have to "register" and provide your name, address, e-mail, etc. in order to read the article. [/b][/quote]
 And certain people (TTLWKR) complain that they don't both to click on the links... I don't post stuff that would take effort to get, usually...

Merginet and Firehouse.co are free, as are my local papers.


Jon


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## TTLWHKR (May 11, 2005)

> _Originally posted by MedicStudentJon+May 11 2005, 12:29 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>*QUOTE* (MedicStudentJon @ May 11 2005, 12:29 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>
> 
> 
> 
> ...


And certain people (TTLWKR) complain that they don't both to click on the links... I don't post stuff that would take effort to get, usually...

Merginet and Firehouse.co are free, as are my local papers.


Jon [/b][/quote]
I didn't say what YOU posted required registration. I just meant in general, newspapers require that quite often. I don't register when it asks me to. The first paragraph tells me all I'm interested in.

Not that anyone should stop posting sites like that, it may come in helpful to be subscribed to the Bi-Monthly newspaper of Nowheresville, Arkansas.


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