Senator Kemp Hannon is pleased to announce the passage of legislation which provides an additional $2.7 billion in STAR benefits directly to homeowners in New York State. The legislation will be fully phased in over the next three years, and gives direct rebate checks to New York homeowners later this year. Building upon the existing STAR program, this enhanced property tax relief plan assists homeowners and seniors with significant reductions in school property taxes.

"Across New York State, the crushing burden of high property taxes is forcing homeowners and seniors out of their homes, and our state. A top priority for me this legislative session was to provide property tax relief directly to the overburdened taxpayers of this state," Senator Hannon said. "With the final passage of this legislation, I am pleased to be able to deliver on the promise I made to taxpayers back in December, when I announced this program."

The STAR Rebate Check Program will provide STAR eligible homeowners with an additional $700 million in savings statewide this year. In future years, the tax relief will total nearly $1 billion annually.

This initiative, passed in the closing days of the 2006 legislative session, builds upon the existing STAR school tax relief program. New York State's historic STAR program was enacted as part of the 1997-98 state budget. This unprecedented tax-cutting initiative provides school tax relief to New York's homeowners through a state-funded property tax exemption.

Eligible senior homeowners in Nassau County will receive an average rebate check of $410 this fall, while other Nassau County homeowners will receive an average rebate check of roughly $242.

Currently, senior Long Island homeowners already save an average of $1,810 annually under the STAR program, while other Long Island homeowners see an average annual savings of $1,000 under the program.

In 2006-07, STAR will provide more than 620,000 seniors across the state an average property tax savings of $1,220. Nearly 2.7 million other homeowners will receive STAR benefits, saving an average of approximately $710 this year.

Visit www.nystax.gov or call NY State Department of Taxation & Finance Center at 1-800-225-5829 for more information regarding this and other tax saving programs.