Massapequa School District Mounts Information Campaign on STAR Exemption

With Long Islanders increasingly concerned about their tax burden, Massapequa School officials are mounting a campaign to make sure residents know about a change in a program that lowers their tax bills.

Deputy Superintendent Alan Adcock took time out during last week's board to let district residents know that homeowners need to re-register for the state's STAR tax relief program.

Explaining the program Adcock said, "If you own a home in New York State and you put in an application, anyone who has a property that's a primary residence is entiled to a reduction on their school taxes."

But Adcock said the state comptroller has recently did a report on the Star program and discovered that many residents who are receiving the tax break aren't entitled to it.

"So what the state has done is to require all residents of New York State to re-apply for the basic STAR discount," Adcock said. 

He warned that those who have applied for the program in past years have to sign up again.

"The application has to be renewed by December 31 of this year 2013 to take affect for your school taxes for 2014-15," Adcock said. "For anyne who already gets the STAR discount and doesn't reapply, your takes are going to go up. n the 2014-15 school year your taxes are going to go up by approximately $1,200."

THere's also an advanced STAR discount that senior citizens receive, which will not change according to Adcock.

The Massapequa School District handed out fliers at their last board meeting which gives further information and urges residents  to  go to the program's website at http://www.tax.ny.gov./ to reapply.

The agency also has telephone registration at 518-457-2036.