News

2008 Real Property Tax Exemptions and Filing Deadlines

for the Town & Village of Greene!
Greene, NY January 11, 2008:

In 2006, the Town and Village of Greene expanded the qualifying income limitations for the Senior STAR (Aged Income) Program. By expanding the income limits, it provides additional benefits for some of you already receiving this exemption and enables many new applicants to qualify for the program!

New York State Real Property Tax Law, Section 467, gives local governments and public school districts the option of granting a reduction on the amount of property taxes paid by qualifying senior citizens by reducing the taxable value of residential property owned by seniors by up to 50%. To qualify, seniors generally must be 65 years of age or older and meet certain income limitations and other requirements for the 50% exemption. The law allows each county, city, town, village, or school district to set the maximum income limit at any figure between $3,000 and $24,000.

The Greene Town Board and the Greene Village Council, both adopted in 2006, new income eligibility levels for this exemption under Section 467 of the New York State Real Property Law. These program qualifying income levels are:

Annual Income Percentage Assessed Valuation Exempt From Taxation
Less than $11,000 50%
$11,001 to $13,000 45%
$13,001 to $15,000 40%
$15,001 to $17,000 35%
$17,001 to $18,000 30%
$18,001 to $19,000 25%
$19,001 to $20,000 20%

You may be eligible for this exemption savings if you own property, it is your primary residence, and you also meet all of the required age and income criteria.

For the Town and Village of Greene, all new and renewal exemption applications are required to be filed with the Town of Greene’s Assessors Office, by March 1, 2008. Exemption applications are required under New York State law to be received by the Assessor's office on or before the deadline of Taxable Status Date which in our community is March 1st. This includes exemption applications for the Basic STAR, Enhanced STAR, Senior STAR (Aged Income), and Alternative Veterans, Agriculture, and Forestry programs.

STAR is the State of New York’s School Tax Relief Program that provides a partial exemption from school property taxes. All New Yorkers who own and live in their one-, two-, or three-family home, condominium, cooperative apartment, manufactured home, or farm dwelling are eligible for a STAR exemption on their primary residence.

The Basic STAR exemption is available for owner-occupied, primary residences regardless of the owners’ ages or incomes. Basic STAR works by exempting a portion of the full value of a home from school taxes. Property owners who are granted the Basic STAR exemption generally will not need to reapply in subsequent years because the Basic STAR exemption is granted regardless of income. However, Basic STAR recipients will need to notify their local assessor if their primary residence changes

The Enhanced STAR exemption is available for the primary residences of senior citizens (age 65 and older) with yearly household incomes not exceeding the statewide standard. For the 2008 roll year, this income limit is $70,650 or less. For qualifying senior citizens, the Enhanced STAR program works by exempting a portion of the full value of their home from school property taxes. For property owned by a husband and wife, or by siblings, only one of them must be at least 65 years of age as of December 31st of the year in which the exemption will begin to qualify for the Enhanced exemption. Their combined annual income, however, must not exceed the STAR income standard.

New this year is the Cold War Veteran’s Exemption. Veterans who served in the active military for a period of 365 days or more between September 2, 1945 and December 26, 1991 are eligible for this ten (10) year exemption. The criteria for this program are the same as for the Alternative Veteran’s Exemption. The Alternative Veterans Exemption is for the primary residence of (1) a veteran of the United States Armed Services who actively served during a period of war, (2) a veteran who received an expeditionary medal, or under certain conditions: (3) a veteran of the merchant marine service, (4) a veteran of the American Field Service, or (5) a veteran who served as a Pan American World Airways flight crew and aviation ground support employee may be eligible for partial exemption from general municipal taxes. No exemption is allowed for school district taxes, special ad valorem levies, or special assessments.

The exemption applies to the assessed value of a qualifying property depending on the nature of the veteran's service. Veterans who were on active duty during a period of war are eligible for a 15% exemption locally authorized amounts ranging from $6,000 to $54,000 or a lesser amount resulting from the product of that locally authorized amount multiplied by the latest final state equalization rate (or special equalization rate).

An additional exemption of 10% locally authorized amounts ranging from $4,000 to $36,000 or a lesser amount resulting from the product of that locally authorized amount multiplied by the latest final state equalization rate or special equalization rate is available for those who served in combat zones.

Veterans who sustained service-related disabilities, as evidenced by receipt of a disability compensation rating from the Veterans Administration or the Department of Defense, are eligible for a percentage exemption equal to one-half of their disability rating locally authorized amounts ranging from $20,000 to $180,000 or a lesser amount resulting from the product of that locally authorized amount multiplied by the latest final state equalization rate or special equalization rate in addition to the wartime and combat zone exemptions. Veterans who died in service of a service-connected disability are considered to have a disability rating of 100%.

Information regarding eligibility for both the Agriculture and Forestry Exemption Programs can be obtained from the Town of Greene Assessors Office.

To qualify and be eligible for all of these exemption programs, you must file an application with your local assessor. The applications have been made as simple as possible and are also available online at http://www.orps.state.ny.us

To apply for these exemptions or obtain additional information, please contact the Town of Greene Assessor Jane Berry, Town of Greene Offices, 51 Genesee Street, P. O. Box 129, Greene, NY 13778. Our offices are open from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Please do not hesitate to telephone us at (607) 656-4191, extension 212 for the Assessor and we will be happy to assist you.