The state tax department is making a push this week to make sure homeowners know they have until the end of the year to renew their eligibility for the 'STAR' property tax program.
The state decided to require people getting the "basic" STAR exemption to re-register for the program to help get rid of some problems with fraud. The re-registration is NOT required for senior citizens, just the other homeowners who are eligible for the tax break.
State Tax department spokesman Cary Ziter says there are still a number of property owners in this area who haven't registered for the program yet.
"There's about 79 percent of the people in all of Monroe County who have already taken action and registered for the basic STAR exemption, but in Rochester alone it's about 61 percent so it's certainly under the county-wide average and it's nearly 10,000 people who still haven't registered."
You can register online at www.tax.ny.gov , or you can call them at 518-457-2036, or you can stop by this week at Rochester City Hall. There will be state tax experts there from 9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. Friday.
