For homeowners who have yet to register for the Basic STAR tax exemption -- there's more opportunity to do so.  The NYS Tax Department will register homeowners receiving the Basic STAR exemption at public events in Cortland and Tompkins Counties in the coming days.  

The STAR Registration program impacts 8,605 Basic STAR recipients in Cortland County (where 56% of the eligible homeowners have registered to date), and 16,409 homeowners in Tompkins County (60% have registered to date).

Cortland County
- County Legislature, 10/8, at 9 am, County Office Bldg., 60 Central Ave., Cortland
- Homer Elementary School open house, 10/10, at 7 pm, 9 Central Park Place, Homer

Tompkins County
- Ithaca City School Board, 10/8, at 7 pm, Board Room, Administrative Bldg., 400 Lake St., Ithaca

Across the state, 2.6 million homeowners have received letters from the Tax Department informing them of the registration.  Senior citizens receiving the Enhanced STAR exemption are not impacted by this program.

The registration facilitates Governor Cuomo’s initiative to protect New Yorkers from fraud and waste in the STAR Program.  The average homeowner saves $700 as a result of the Basic STAR exemption, which is available on the primary residence of homeowners with incomes under $500,000. 

The registration deadline is December 31 in order to continue receiving the exemption in 2014 and thereafter. 

Basic STAR recipients have three easy options to register:

1. More than 175 public events such as the ones mentioned above (full list of local events)
2. Online registration at the Department’s Web site takes only 2 to 4 minutes: www.tax.ny.gov 
3. Homeowners without Internet access or with questions should call 518-457-2036. 

Governor Cuomo Announces More Than One Million Homeowners Have Registered for STAR.