Plans are in motion to grant volunteer firefighters in Slippery Rock borough up to a $250 tax credit on their local earned income taxes through Pennsylvania’s Act 172.

The act, which went into effect in 2016, allows a municipality to award tax incentives to volunteers of municipal fire companies and nonprofit emergency medical services.

Mayor Jondavid Longo’s plans to pursue Act 172 were rekindled after discussion on the Hometown Heroes Tax Credit at a Borough Council meeting Tuesday.

The proposed Hometown Heroes ordinance would give both paid and volunteer members of emergency response departments a $250 tax credit on their local earned income taxes, but, Longo said, they’ve reached a standstill.

“The Pennsylvania General Assembly would have to come up with language to grant us the authority,” he said. “My intention is to work in cooperation with legislators to introduce that language to the General Assembly.”

In the meantime, the implementation of Act 172 will be the subject of a public hearing in May at the borough building. The meeting would be followed by 30 days for public comment and a formal vote.

If the Act 172 ordinance is voted on and approved before the next tax filing season, residential volunteers for Slippery Rock Borough Volunteer Fire Company and Rescue Team can take advantage.

Longo said municipalities such as Butler Township implemented Act 172 a few years ago.

“If we’d known there were going to be legal issues (with Hometown Heroes), we would have enacted Act 172 from the jump,” he said.

The borough council tabled discussion of the Hometown Heroes Tax Credit in March for legal review. Longo said it has been supported by council.

“We’re dedicated to moving forward as efficiently as possible,” he said.

Since Act 172 covers only residential volunteer firefighters, Longo said, his goal for the Hometown Heroes Tax Credit would be that other residential first responders see tax relief.

The potential ordinance would allow forgiveness of up to $250 in local earned income taxes for resident members of Slippery Rock Volunteer Fire Company and Rescue Team, Slippery Rock police, Slippery Rock University police, state police and the Butler County Sheriff’s Office.

“Pennsylvania is facing a first responder shortage across the board,” Longo said. “This is one way we can help motivate citizens in Slippery Rock to stick around and motivate those who were on the fence about becoming first responders to take that step.”

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, council discussed having the vacant lot at the corner of Main and New Castle streets resurveyed.

“(Council) wants a resurvey of the grassy lot to maximize the land used by a potential developer,” according to Christian Laskey, borough manager.

The next council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday.