Authorizes the Merrick Hook & Ladder Co. 1 fire company recieve retroactive real property tax exempt status

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Steve Rhoads

The bill would grant Merrick Hook & Ladder Co. 1 a retroactive real property tax exemption for its eligible property.

REFERRED TO REAL PROPERTY TAXATION

Bill Summary: S 8961 (New York) – 2025-2026 Session

Purpose and Intent

The bill authorizes retroactive real property tax-exempt status for the Merrick Hook & Ladder Co. 1 fire company.

In practical terms, it seeks to recognize a specific fire company as eligible for property tax exemption for a prior period, retroactively, under New York law.

Key Provisions and Changes

Establishes eligibility for real property tax exemption for the Merrick Hook & Ladder Co. 1 fire company.

Applies retroactively to a prior date specified by the legislation (the bill’s text would delineate the exact retroactive period; the action history indicates the intent to grant exemption for a past tax period).

If enacted, the exemption would reduce or eliminate property taxes levied against the eligible property owned or used by the Merrick Hook & Ladder Co. 1, consistent with existing statutory pathways for charitable or municipal services property exemptions.

The bill designates a specific fire company (Merrick Hook & Ladder Co. 1) as the entity to receive the exemption, potentially setting a precedent for retroactive exemptions to similar entities if applicable in the future.

Who Would Be Affected

The Merrick Hook & Ladder Co. 1, identified as the recipient of the tax exemption.

Local government and tax assessors in the jurisdiction where the fire company owns or uses property, who would administer and apply the exemption to the affected property tax rolls.

Other stakeholders include taxpayers in the jurisdiction (through the potential impact on municipal revenue) and the fire company’s operations, which may benefit from reduced property tax obligations.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Action History indicates the bill’s progression through the following stages:

January 21, 2026: Referred to Local Government
March 10, 2026: 1st Reading Calendar (CAL. 506)
March 11, 2026: 2nd Report CAL.
March 12, 2026: Advanced to Third Reading
May 29, 2026: Passed Senate, Delivered to Assembly, Referred to Real Property Taxation

The bill has already passed the Senate and is in the Assembly’s committee process (Real Property Taxation), signaling active consideration for potential enactment.

If the Assembly approves, the bill would go to the governor for signature to become law or could face amendments or veto, depending on legislative negotiations.

Notes and Considerations

Retroactive tax exemptions can affect municipal tax revenues for the period covered. Local assessors would apply the exemption to the specified property and date range once enacted.

The exact retroactive period and any conditions (e.g., continued use of the property for fire services, compliance with state exemption requirements) would be defined in the bill text.

The bill lists Steve Rhoads as a co-sponsor, indicating additional legislative support.

If you’d like, I can pull the bill’s full text to extract the precise retroactive dates, eligibility criteria, and any conditions or sunset provisions that accompany the exemption.