In an official White House promotional video for President Donald Trump’s proposed “big beautiful bill,” Boston fire union leadership discussed the advantages they saw in some of the tax incentives for firefighters.
In an Instagram video posted by the official White House account last Saturday, Boston Firefighters Local 718 president and vice president Sam Dillon and Leroy Heyward joined the International Association of Fire Fighters leadership in endorsing specific tax provisions in the bill.
The public support of the fire union coincides with the mayor of the city’s conflict with the Trump administration.
Dillon told the Herald on Monday that union leadership was given the chance to advocate for provisions in the tax bill that will benefit our firefighters and their families.
According to Dillon, the Boston Fire Union is in favor of the president’s proposed reduction in federal overtime taxes, an increase in the so-called SALT provision—a state and local tax deduction that the bill aims to raise from $10,000 to $40,000—and benefits for fire department retirees.
According to Dillon in the film, President Trump’s plan to reduce SALT will give our members instant support and relief, keeping them from being evicted from the places we serve in times of need and take pleasure in.
Lawmakers from states with high taxes have made the provision a primary goal. The final text of the measure, which is currently being discussed in the Senate, aims to raise the threshold to $40,000 but only for a five-year period. That is still too generous, according to a number of Republican senators.
According to Heyward in the video, President Trump wants to give us an additional $4,000 tax cut. For many of our residents, including our elderly and firefighters, that is really significant. That might make the difference between putting food on the table, paying your rent, and your mortgage.
Dillon said the union’s choice to publicly advocate for the One Big Beautiful Bill’s tax measures was nonpartisan and consistent with the Boston fire union’s history of working with federal administrations.
During the previous government, I had the chance to address the Biden White House, and during the present administration, I had the chance to address the Trump White House, Dillon told the Herald. In order to represent and advocate for firefighters and their families, Local 718 will engage with people on both sides of the political spectrum when given the chance.
At a time when the city and its mayor, Michelle Wu, have been fighting the Trump administration over immigration, the president’s threatened cuts in federal funding because of the city’s sanctuary status, and other issues, the Boston firefighters union is supporting Trump on this specific bill.
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In addition to funding Trump’s mass deportation strategy, which Wu has condemned in recent weeks, the proposed law would allocate $350 billion to national security.
Cuts to Medicaid, food stamps, and green energy investments—which some Republicans are depending on to offset the proposed tax breaks—have also been the focus of dissent in the Senate.
Dillon claims that the union’s support is non-political and is focused on parts of the bill that help firefighters, their families, and union retirees.
According to Dillon, we adopt a nonpartisan stance. We are available if you are willing to engage with us and have conversations with us about firefighters and our families.
This report included information from the Associated Press.
