DC Council introduces bill that would give first responders a tax break

WASHINGTON — D.C. councilmembers have introduced a bill that would give first responders a big break on their income taxes if they live in the District.

The First Responders Income Exclusion Act of 2023 was introduced by councilmembers Brooke Pinto, Vincent Gray and Trayon White on March 3. Under the bill, the entire salaries of police officers and firefighters would be excluded from local income taxes.

A similar bill was introduced by Kenyan McDuffie in 2017. The bill is meant to encourage first responders to live within the District. Many firefighters live outside D.C. and commute into the city, some from as far away as Pennsylvania. The long commutes are made possible by work schedules, with firefighters spending 24 hours on duty, followed by three days off.

On March 7, the bill was referred to Committee on Business and Economic Development with comments from the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.