Lawmaker urges bill to help volunteer first responders afford to live in town

A lawmaker introduced a bill aimed at helping town workers and volunteer first responders afford to live in the town, saying the measure is "a way of just saying thank you." The lawmaker framed the proposal as a way to retain volunteers whose presence, the lawmaker said, supports local schools and community safety.

"This bill is a way of just saying thank you," the lawmaker said. "I want people who work in the town, volunteer in the town to be able to afford to live in the town." The lawmaker added that keeping those residents locally could benefit schools by ensuring that some of those volunteers' children remain students in the community, and by exposing students to the importance of public service.

The lawmaker appealed directly to residents to encourage family members to consider service, saying, "Tell your brothers and sisters, and nieces and nephews why we need more first responders, how important they are to our community and to our state." The speaker characterized the bill as a modest recognition of service: "This is just one small way of saying thank you."

The transcript does not specify how the program would be funded, whether it would create a new subsidy or tax incentive, or any timetable for committee consideration or a vote. No other speakers, motions, votes, or amendments are recorded in the provided transcript.

Next steps were not specified in the transcript.