Measure Incentivizes Residency for Public Safety Officers
Prince George’s County Council Vice Chair Wala Blegay, Esq. (District 6), during the session on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, presented CB-087-2023, legislation establishing a property tax credit for public safety officers whose primary residence is in Prince George’s County.
Under the legislation, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, correctional officers, police officers, and deputy sheriffs employed full-time by a public safety agency, and volunteer firefighters or volunteer emergency medical technicians for the County’s Fire/EMS Department would be eligible to receive a property tax credit for their primary residence. The maximum amount of the credit cannot exceed $2,500.
Vice Chair Blegay says the property tax credit aims to address staffing shortages by providing an incentive for public safety officers to move into the County.
“A public safety officer tax credit is one way to increase our law enforcement workforce and attract more public safety officers to our communities. Law enforcement staffing levels are not where they should be, and we cannot effectively address crime without increasing the number of police officers. This legislation will provide an incentive for public safety officers to move to the County and work in the communities where they live.”
CB-087-2023 has been referred to the Council’s Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee (GOFP) for consideration.
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