The Town Council voted Tuesday to approve an increased tax abatement for active first responders - an incentive which Mayor David Merchant hopes will encourage volunteers to stay on-board.
Following a public hearing and a unanimous vote from the Town Council, the maximum tax abatement for qualifying first responders is now set to increase from $1,000 to $1,500 on Dec. 31, 2021 and from $1,500 to $2,000 on Jan. 21, 2022.
Merchant said that Fire Chief Mark Sikorski and volunteers from the town’s ambulance corps were among those who spoke in favor of the plan and that no one spoke in opposition.
“This is a big deal for Plymouth,” said Merchant. “We are doing as much as we can to incentivize volunteers to stay with the department. Our great volunteers work extremely hard to serve our community 24/7 and it is extremely important for the community to acknowledge that work.”