This week both houses of the State Legislature passed a bill (A.1808) that would require town assessors to provide a receipt upon request to STAR applicants. I sponsored this legislation to provide clarity in instances where there is a dispute about whether an application was submitted in a timely manner, possibly resulting in a homeowner being denied admittance into the program.

The Assembly will soon send this legislation to the Governor's desk and I hope he will sign it into law immediately.

I also want to remind all eligible Monroe County senior homeowners to renew their Enhanced STAR application for 2010 if they have not already done so. Applications must be filed with your local assessor's office by Monday, March 1.

For New York property owners 65 or older by the year's end, and not exceeding the income eligibility level ($74,700), Enhanced STAR provides a tax exemption to help alleviate the high cost of school property taxes. Income must be verified on an annual basis to prove eligibility.

For most Monroe County residents, Enhanced STAR exempts the first $60,010 on property assessments for school taxes, which account for the largest share of local property tax bills. For an eligible West Irondequoit Senior homeowners, this would mean roughly $1,500 in property tax relief. Previous enrollees reapplying for Enhanced STAR can avoid the annual reapplication hassle by signing up for the STAR Income Verification program. 

If you have any questions contact your local tax assessor's office or my office at 585-467-0410.

 

Warmest personal regards,