Several Garden City residents have called Garden City Life recently asking that a story be done explaining the Dial STAR program and the qualifications for saving with STAR. Garden City Life spoke with Chairman of the Nassau County Board of Assessors Charles O'Shea in a telephone interview, during which he clarified some of the aspects of STAR which may have presented some confusion for residents. Nassau County residents were presented with the opportunity to "Dial STAR" and find out how much they could save with the STAR program by calling 571-1500 in a press release from the County Assessor's office which ran in this paper. After calling the number, some residents found the questions asked on the phone line contradicted what they had thought about the STAR program. Specifically, many residents found the questions pertaining to their property odd, as they had thought that STAR was based on income, and not assessed valuation of their property. The problem, it seems, lies in the fact that there are two ways to save with STAR: The Basic STAR Program and The Enhanced Senior Citizen Exemption.

The Basic STAR Program was initially offered to senior citizens living in New York State who met the following requirements: 1) The address they listed is their primary residence; 2) The individual filing for STAR was over 65; and 3) The filer's income is $60,000 or less (determined by the "adjusted gross" recorded on their most recent federal income tax statements). The savings for The Basic STAR Program are determined on a sliding scale and the savings can provide the qualified STAR participant with what O'Shea terms a "significant amount" off on their school taxes. In fact, this month, according to O'Shea, 46,000 applications for this STAR program will be sent out to home, condo, and co-op owners in Nassau County. O'Shea had asked the state to change the law, allowing them to reach out to more senior residents of Nassau County. Anyone who will be 65 by October can save with a primary exemption between Sept. and Dec. 31, 1998 and continue to save annually with the program.

The confusion seems to have stemmed from the creation of the subsequent Enhanced Senior Citizen Exemption of STAR, for which the Dial STAR number was created, which is based upon the assessed valuation of the individual's home. The enhanced program is not on a sliding scale exactly, what it does is it determines the amount saved on school taxes based on the assessed value of the house, condo, or co-op. When people call the Dial STAR number, they will be asked for the section, block and lot of their property to identify the unit and then, just as the amount one pays is determined by how much their property is "worth," how much they will save is also based upon this "worth." In order to qualify for the Enhanced Senior Citizen Exemption Program, the person filing must be over 65 and the residence in question must be their primary residence; also there is an income threshold of $26,900. People living on Social Security and other retired individuals living on a limited fixed income, who still own a home, condo, or co-op in the Village (or anywhere in New York) can qualify for this special additional STAR program to help them save on what they pay in school taxes.

O'Shea explained that, "It is quite possible that someone who qualifies for The Basic STAR Program and could save up to 90 percent on their school taxes, could also qualify for the Enhanced Senior Citizen Program and save up to 45 percent on their school taxes, thus with the two programs in place for one home, the taxpayer could end up paying next to nothing in school taxes."

Additionally, O'Shea explained that the school districts such as Garden City do not lose any money as a result of the STAR savings. "The state is making up the dollars no longer contributed by the seniors saving with STAR, so the schools will continue to receive the same funding," he noted. He continued, "The schools will not lose a penny, but the seniors will save, so it's really a 'win win' situation for everyone."

O'Shea was the guest speaker at the WPOA's last general meeting in June and will be available for similar speaking engagements in the Village, should other organizations wish him to come and speak about STAR and help answer any other questions residents may have. Also, if the 571-1500 number is busy or callers have any problems using the number, they can call 571-2490 and ask the assessor's office for assistance. O'Shea says that while he and his staff are busy, they are always more than happy to take time to provide residents with information.