Budget deal eliminates STAR Rebate Checks. (New York, Hempstead: how much, month to, first time home buyer)

[TVR1997]

Budget deal ends STAR rebate, maintains school aid -- Newsday.com (http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny-stbudg3012599618mar30,0,1612988.story - broken link)

While the check was not much, you have to almost treat this as an increase in our property and school taxes. Could nothing be cut from school budgets. Something has to be done. And look at the new tax rates on high income earners.

So let's try and get a summary here:

LIPA rates were increased 3% in July 08 and 4.5% in January 09.
Nassau passed a new 2.5% home heating oil tax effective June 1
Nassau County increased property taxes 3.9% and now elimination of the STAR rebate.
School district taxes increased by *insert your district % here*
Town of Hempstead (where I reside) passed a 6.6% tax hike.
MTA Long Island Railroad increases by almost 30%

What a great place we all live in!

[DeadPool1998]

Originally Posted by TVR1997

Budget deal ends STAR rebate, maintains school aid -- Newsday.com (http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny-stbudg3012599618mar30,0,1612988.story - broken link)

While the check was not much, you have to almost treat this as an increase in our property and school taxes. Could nothing be cut from school budgets. Something has to be done. And look at the new tax rates on high income earners.

So let's try and get a summary here:

LIPA rates were increased 3% in July 08 and 4.5% in January 09.
Nassau passed a new 2.5% home heating oil tax effective June 1
Nassau County increased property taxes 3.9% and now elimination of the STAR rebate.
School district taxes increased by *insert your district % here*
Town of Hempstead (where I reside) passed a 6.6% tax hike.
MTA Long Island Railroad increases by almost 30%

What a great place we all live in!

I lived in a state that didn't want to tax people to pay for essential services, and that state sucked to live in largely because of the miserable services. That state is Florida. Florida possesses some of the richest zip codes in the country, and yet has some of the most abject poverty and one of the poorest working classes.

New York pays its way. I love NY.

[ianwaters]

With eliminations and increases like this while the job market continues to plunge while the 'real' average incomes have not gone up in about a decade how is this the place for first time home buyers anymore?
What is the agenda?

[dman72]

These kind of increases are going to be too much for many middle class people to take. We already see people leaving in droves. The government needs to find ways to provide services at a lower cost..there is PLENTY of fat to be cut.

First off, let's talk about the LIRR: how many different municipal workers and civil servants get to ride the train for free, and how many millions in lost ticket revenue does that cost the average commuter? MTA employees, cops, firefighters..they don't pay to ride. How much $ does that add up to? These are the kinds of things that everybody in NY takes for granted as being part of the program that really don't make sense.

[Mantaray14]

I read there is a Basic Star and a Middle Class STAR exemption. I thought I read this affects the Middle Class Star. Does that mean you still receive the basic STAR or does it mean you get no rebate anymore at all?

Thanks,

Rick

[BCW]

TBH, I'm not clear on the differences and nuances but fwiw, from the linked article:
The basic STAR and enhanced STAR exemptions - which reduce tax bills - are unaffected.

Originally Posted by Mantaray14

I read there is a Basic Star and a Middle Class STAR exemption. I thought I read this affects the Middle Class Star. Does that mean you still receive the basic STAR or does it mean you get no rebate anymore at all?

Thanks,

Rick

[mr.mrs.b.i]

Yeah, I've been doing some reading on this. It looks like we're still able to get our taxes reduced month to month, but whatever the check it we won't be getting it.

*SHRUGS*

I cared more about the month to month anyway so, at least that's still there.

[Chrisk327]

Maybe I misunderstand... but I think the STAR exemption is still in full effect, its the "rebate checks" that we recieved the past 2 years that are out.

[BCW]

@ mr.mrs.b.i and Chrisk327,
That's how it reads to me too. They simply cut out an unecessary step. The reduction will come off the top instead of being 'overbilled' and then refunded to the homeowner later.

(is it my imagination or has Newsday become increasingly alarmist with their news story headlines? Not that they were ever a hard hitting paper, but golly gee whiz...its becomming a sensationalist rag. Sales/circulation must be getting pretty bad. If I want screamin' headlines and chuckles I'll get The Post -now that's a funny paper.)

[Mighty__Quinn]

Originally Posted by Chrisk327

Maybe I misunderstand... but I think the STAR exemption is still in full effect, its the "rebate checks" that we recieved the past 2 years that are out.

That *is* correct.