Town commissioners unanimously passed a resolution March 14 opposing state legislation that would create a new retirement benefit for firefighters and rescue squad workers. Senate Bill 179 and House Bill 278, identical bills commonly referred to as “Parity for First Responders,” would create a special separation allowance for firefighters and rescue squad workers. The town’s resolution states the legislation is an unfunded mandate and would be costly to the town. Earlier this year, the board that governs the Local Government Employees Retirement system, which includes firefighters, required municipalities to increase their funding to the current retirement system by 1.2 percent in each of the next three years.