The School Tax Bill Cometh

The coming of a new school year also means the collection of school taxes. Voters approved tax levy increases in both and school districts and August is the month to pay the piper.

This spring, Blind Brook-Rye Union Free school district residents approved a 2012-13 school budget that increases their tax levy by 1.32 percent. Rye City school district residents settled on a budget that includes a 1.94 percent tax levy increase.

Blind Brook school district taxes - as well as Port Chester and Rye Neck school districts- are due by September 1 reminds Rye Town Tax Receiver Nick Mecca. All school taxes for residents of these three school districts are processed at Rye Town Hall.

Similarly, Rye City school district taxes are collected in August and November from residents whose obligations are not paid by their banks or mortgage companies.

If you are a Rye resident who does not pay your taxes through your bank or mortgage, you should have received your bill my mail by the first week of August. If you don't, then you should contact call Rye City School District assistant tax collector Lynn Ferguson at 967-6100, ext. 6276. 

Rye residents may pay by mail until August 31 using the return envelope they receive with their bill or in person at the Rye City school district administration office, 411 Theodore Fremd Ave, Suite 100S betweeon 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Credit card payments can be processed by phone or online by Official Payments. A three percent surcharge is added. 

The telephone number to pay by credit card is 800-272-9829 and the web site iswww.officialpayments.com. The jurisdiction code which will be requested is 4224.  

The New York State School Tax Relief Program (STAR), called a STAR exemption, for taxpayers' primary residences- is available for those who qualify. New York homeowners who earn less than $500,000 annually are eligible for a Basic STAR exemption. Homeowners– or their spouses– who are older than 65 years on December 31 of the previous year, qualify for an Enhanced STAR. 

The Basic STAR exempts the first $30,000 of a homes full value n the calculation of tax obligation. Enhanced STAR for residents older than 65, the first $62,200 of home value is deducted. Both exemption programs apply to the taxpayers/ primary residence.