Senator Latimer Co-Sponsors Legislation to Reform STAR Property Tax Rebate System

Senator Latimer Co-Sponsors Legislation to Reform STAR Property Tax Rebate System

As dozens of Westchester residents tangle with the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, seeking payment of Star Rebate Tax checks that are now nearly 6 months late, State Senator George Latimer (D-Westchester) has introduced Senate Bill S.3038 to reform the process.

"For nearly six months, I have personally pursued full payment of STAR rebates for people across my district, who have yet to receive their 2016-17 checks.  I join in this legislation because the state agency responsible for making these payments has essentially ignored taxpayers and failed to resolve these issues.  We expect taxpayers to pay their obligations on time and in full; the same must be true for the same agency that collects taxes, which is tasked with providing rebate checks on time and in full," added Senator Latimer. 

The legislation would impose penalty fees on the state for checks paid late. The bill is sponsored by Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Westchester), and the senators are working to continuing reform of the rebate check process.  Last week, the senators were joined at a press conference by homeowners who have not received their checks yet and Al Annunziata, the Executive Director of the Co-Op and Condo Advisory Council of Westchester.   

"It is completely unacceptable to make taxpayers wait 5 months for money they are entitled to and have been promised.  The delays cause clear problems for family budgets when they are asked to make these payments as advances on their taxes and are now impacting how cooperative units operate.  Property taxes in the Hudson Valley are too high and these rebates are helpful to homeowners but the State has to learn from this debacle and reform the process for the future," said Senator Carlucci.

 "The delays and errors in sending out rebate checks are having a very serious impact on the finances of cooperative communities and their shareholders.  The Cooperative and Condominium Advisory Council (CCAC) of Westchester, representing over 300 coop complexes and over 10,000 shareholders in this county, has heard first-hand accounts of the hardships that these unacceptable delays and errors have caused, including the thousands of our senior citizens who rely on the STAR checks each and every year. We applaud the efforts of Senator Carlucci, Senator Latimer and other state legislators who are trying to remedy the chronic and unacceptable problems in administering and delivering the STAR rebates to New Yorkers," stated Albert A. Annunziata, Executive Director of the CCAC.