STAR enrollment campaign continues in Western New York

Acting New York State Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Barbara G. Billet announced that homeowners in nine additional counties in western and central New York State will receive letters on how to apply for their 2007 STAR Rebate check and receive the full program benefit.

Mailing to the state's nine westernmost counties - Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming - went out in August.

"Governor Spitzer's Middle Class STAR program is the largest in state history, and specifically targeted to middle class homeowners, where it provides much-needed help to senior citizens and hard-working families," said Billet. "It is income-based, so those who need it most will receive the largest benefit."

Seniors 65-years or older who receive the enhanced STAR exemption do not need to apply. These homeowners get their STAR rebate checks automatically.

"In striving to make a regressive property tax system more progressive, we're providing more relief to those with the least ability to pay," she continued.

Letter mailings to other eligible homeowners throughout New York State runs through the end of September.

The application deadline is Nov. 30.

Rebate checks will be calculated on a sliding scale based on income, with the maximum benefit going to all upstate homeowners earning $90,000 or less. The difference in threshold levels corresponds to the difference in average regional incomes and cost of living. The benefit gradually diminishes as income exceeds these thresholds until a homeowner's income reaches $250,000. Taxpayers earning over $250,000 are not eligible for new relief, but will continue to receive their current STAR benefit.

Enrollment involves an application that can be submitted by mail or online. The rebate checks will be mailed to homeowners as their applications are processed. Online applications take less time to process, though generally people may expect their check several weeks after they submit their application. To enroll online, visit www. nystax. gov.

To receive a rebate check, homeowners only have to verify the property information provided on the application, enter the names, social security numbers, and all required information for all resident property owners and their spouses, verify the mailing address, and submit the application.

The Tax Department has updated information on its Web site, www.nystax.gov, and people can call the hotline at 1-877-6-STAR-NY for details.