Homestead Rebates are ridiculous (Deal: how much, house, salary)

[luckyshoes]

So last night, I run around filling in the "worksheet" so I can call in for the Homestead Rebate. I suffer through calling it in, THEN I look up on the internet how much I am going to get.

Gah! Turns out (and I'm sure you all know this) you have to make less than 75K a year to qualify if you are not over 65 or disabled. Wasn't it like 250K last year? That's quite a drop.

Anyway, rules are rules. Fine. But....

HOW ABOUT WRITING THAT ON THE ENVELOPE NJ??????????

Homestead Rebates are stupid anyway. Who could afford a house in NJ on 75K a year? And why not just put the money back into the coffers anyway, it's so miniscule against the amount of taxes we pay.

[AnesthesiaMD]

Originally Posted by luckyshoes

So last night, I run around filling in the "worksheet" so I can call in for the Homestead Rebate. I suffer through calling it in, THEN I look up on the internet how much I am going to get.

Gah! Turns out (and I'm sure you all know this) you have to make less than 75K a year to qualify if you are not over 65 or disabled. Wasn't it like 250K last year? That's quite a drop.

Anyway, rules are rules. Fine. But....

HOW ABOUT WRITING THAT ON THE ENVELOPE NJ??????????

Homestead Rebates are stupid anyway. Who could afford a house in NJ on 75K a year? And why not just put the money back into the coffers anyway, it's so miniscule against the amount of taxes we pay.

I'm glad they lowered the threshold. Less tax dollars that simply get redistributed. I would hope they would use the extra money to pay down the debt, but that'll never happen.

[NatasNJ]

I believe only Seniors got it this year anyway. HAHAHAHA.. The rebate pool gets smaller and smaller.

[luckyshoes]

For homeowners, you can still get it even if you aren't elderly or disabled as long as you make under $75,000 a year.

Seriously, they should just discontinue it already.

[artDDS]

just another example of an unfair tax system...

[metaljaybird]

The entire thing is a scam. Yet, NJ voters will fall for scams like this hook line and sinker. I'm a homeowner, and yes, I qualify (to the one who asked, how can one afford a house in NJ w/ a salary under 75k, i'm the bread winner in the house, and we have no other debt), but I think these programs are a waste of time and money.

The way to address high property tax is by actually lowering it. How do we lower it? Deal with the high cost of education, and make the educators tighten their belts.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by luckyshoes

Homestead Rebates are stupid anyway. Who could afford a house in NJ on 75K a year? And why not just put the money back into the coffers anyway, it's so miniscule against the amount of taxes we pay.

Strange that you didn't find them to be so stupid when you spent all that time on the phone trying to get yours.........

[luckyshoes]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

Strange that you didn't find them to be so stupid when you spent all that time on the phone trying to get yours.........

What does that comment mean? Yes, I've always thought they were stupid because they should just put the money into the state coffers and lower the tax rate instead. They have always been just a political gimmick IMO. But of course I'm going to call for it if I think I can get one, that would be stupid not to. I'm not going to donate more money to the state.

[luckyshoes]

Originally Posted by metaljaybird

The way to address high property tax is by actually lowering it. How do we lower it? Deal with the high cost of education, and make the educators tighten their belts.

Exactly.

I would add the municipal and county gov't in there too.

[BobKovacs]

It just seems odd that its "a stupid program", but that you'd be "stupid not to get yours"......