The formation of the Jim Thorpe Municipal Fire Department may also come with a new incentive for its firefighters - a tax break.

Jim Thorpe Borough Council on Thursday held preliminary talks about giving its volunteer firefighters a property tax credit if they meet yet to be determined criteria.Pa. House Bill 1683, passed in 2016, offers volunteers a tax credit of up to 20 percent of their earned income and property tax liability.It is not mandatory for a municipality to give the tax credits, but council members in Jim Thorpe feel it would send a good message."This is not only about attracting new firefighters but also retaining the ones we have now," said Councilman Jay Miller, a volunteer firefighter himself."Right now, the only incentive out there is doing good for your community. I don't know what this would mean in dollars and cents yet, but we should look at it to show we appreciate the people there now."The bill was drafted by state Rep. Ryan Warner, of Fayette and Westmoreland counties, who said his legislation "gives something back to the people who volunteer their time risk their lives ensuring the safety of Pennsylvania citizens."Council said it would likely be up to the fire chief to come up with criteria to determine who would be eligible for a tax credit and at what level.The law already requires individuals seeking the tax credits to meet certain certifications, complete paperwork and constantly log activities."What you don't want is to have a bunch of guys there for 40 or more years and have some newbie come in and say I want a tax break," Miller said.The move could tie in well with Jim Thorpe's new municipal fire department, which may require all firefighters to sign up for service again even if they had volunteered in the past."That's the time you could outline what benefits are available," Miller said.Council planned further discussion on the topic before moving forward.