The Union Fire District of South Kingstown has adopted Ordinance 2024-01, establishing a Tax Relief Program to support the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters and to honor the service of life members and their surviving spouses/domestic partners. This program offers property tax relief to qualifying residents of the Fire District who meet specific criteria outlined below.

Purpose of the Ordinance

The primary goal of this ordinance is to incentivize membership in the Union Fire District by providing tax relief to eligible individuals who have made significant contributions to the district. The tax relief is aimed at:

• Firefighters who qualify for the District’s LOSAP (Length of Service Award Program).
• Life members of the district, as verified by the Station Captains and Presidents.
• Spouses or domestic partners of deceased life members, who were previously members in good standing.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the Tax Relief Program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Eligible Individuals:
  • Firefighters who have met the qualifications for the District’s LOSAP program for the year in which taxes are being assessed.
  • Life Members, as verified by the Station Captains and Presidents of the District.
  • Spouses or domestic partners of deceased life members, provided they meet the necessary criteria as defined by the district.

• Good Standing: Applicants must be in good standing with the Union Fire District at the time of application.
• Primary Residence: Applicants must be the titled owners of the property for which they are seeking tax relief. The property must also be the applicant’s primary residence. A notarized statement affirming this fact is required.

Application Process

• Application Deadline: Applicants must submit their completed application to the District Tax Collector by January 1, 2025
• Applications can be requested by email or downloaded directly from the district’s website here.

Special Provisions for Life Members and Spouses/Domestic Partners of Deceased Members

• Life Members and spouses/domestic partners of deceased members will only need to qualify their status once. After initial verification, they will not need to re-verify their status in subsequent years.

Further Information

For more details or to apply, please contact the Union Fire District office:

• Phone: 401-789-8354

We encourage all eligible members to take advantage of this important benefit and help further strengthen our Fire District’s commitment to serving the community.