The Democratic majority in the New York State Assembly introduced legislation last week to reform the state’s School Tax Relief (STAR) program. The legislation takes aim at previous changes to the program that the lawmakers say created inconvenience for participants.
“Our focus should always be on helping families get ahead,” said Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. in a prepared statement. “Unfortunately, we’ve now seen that last year’s STAR changes overburdened families and seniors.”
The Democratic assemblyman who represents the South Fork asserts that issues with the STAR program stem from last year’s decision to switch administration of the program to the State Department of Taxation and Finance, rather than local assessors.
Up until last year, homeowners eligible for the STAR program received their yearly tax reduction in their school tax bill. Under the current system, homeowners receive a check for the allocated amount. According to Mr. Thiele, many homeowners reported that checks were received much later than scheduled, and for disproportionate amounts.
The proposed legislation would essentially revert the disbursement system to its previous form, and return control of the program to local assessors. In addition, the bill requires that the state helps local municipalities notify taxpayers of any further changes, so that all qualified homeowners receive the exemption in a timely fashion.
on Feb 27, 2017