City of Rochester
News Release
(Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012) - Mayor Thomas S. Richards today announced that the 2012 Senior Citizen Tax Exemption and Enhanced School Tax Relief (STAR) applications for city properties are due in the City Assessor’s Office by Feb. 1, 2012.
City officials want to avert confusion by highlighting that the City’s application deadline is a month earlier than tax exemption applications for towns, which are due Mar. 1, 2012.
To qualify for the City’s 2012 Senior Citizen Tax Exemption, residents must be age 65 or older by December 31, 2012; be an owner-occupant; have owned the property for 12 months or more; and their 2010 income must not have exceeded $37,400. Social Security benefits are included in the annual income amount.
This year, the senior tax exemptions will range from a 50 percent reduction for those with 2010 incomes of $29,000 or less, to a 5 percent reduction for those who didn’t earn more than $37,400.
Seniors renewing should already have received applications in the mail. Additional applications can be obtained by calling the City Assessor’s Office at 428-6994, going to City Hall at 30 Church St., Rm. 101A, or by downloading the application at www.cityofrochester.gov/assessment and clicking on “Residential Property Exemptions” in the menu to the left.
City Assessor Thomas G. Huonker reminds residents that Enhanced STAR, New York’s school tax cut program for seniors 65 and older, is also available. Enhanced STAR is offered in addition to the City’s Senior Property Tax exemption. Seniors will automatically receive the Enhanced STAR exemption if they are approved for the City’s Senior exemption. If a resident doesn’t qualify for the Senior exemption, he or she may still be eligible for Enhanced STAR if they did not earn more than $79,050 in 2010. The deadline for Enhanced STAR is also Feb. 1, 2012.
Contact the City Assessor’s Office at 428-6994 for more information about exemptions.
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News Media: For more information, contact Assessor Thomas G. Huonker at 428-6983.