Stout Announces Tax Credit Available for First Responders

EIGHTY FOUR, January 16, 2009 - State Sen. J. Barry Stout today announced that a $100 tax credit is now available for active volunteer firefighters, volunteer ambulance personnel and rescue-company personnel in Pennsylvania.

Stout voted in favor of the tax credit during the past legislative session.

“I supported this tax credit to both honor the service of volunteer firefighters and emergency response personnel as well as to boost the recruitment and retention of these vital first responders,” Stout said. “Day after day our first responders risk their lives in order to keep us all safe without receiving any compensation and I hope this tax credit reminds them of how grateful we all our for their service.”

Stout (D- Allegheny/Beaver/Greene/Washington/Westmoreland) added that eligibility is determined by a point system. Responders accumulate points through things such as the number of calls responded to by a volunteer, training and participation in drills and time spent on administration, maintenance of facilities and equipment and support activities.

Stout said that responders must have earned a total of 50 points between Jan. 1, 2008, and Dec. 31, 2008. The application must be signed by the primary volunteer company’s president or chief certify. The form should be filed with the first responder’s state income tax return.

He added that the “PA Schedule OC-V” and “Schedule OC” forms can be downloaded by going to: www.senatorstout.com. These forms can also be obtained by calling the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue at 1-800-362-20. For those who want to file their returns by mail, the Revenue Department has established a special mailing address for tax credit-eligible volunteers: PA Department of Revenue, Volunteer Tax Credit, P.O.Box 280400, Harrisburg, PA 17128-0400.

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