What's happening
This bill raises the income limit for senior citizens to qualify for property tax exemptions in high-appreciation municipalities.
Why it matters
Targets “high-appreciation municipalities”. This bill specifically benefits areas where property values have risen rapidly, meaning it addresses the unique challenges seniors face in places where rising real estate prices could otherwise disqualify them from tax relief.
Expands eligibility. By raising the income limit to $50,000 for seniors in these high-appreciation areas, the bill allows more middle-income seniors to qualify for property tax exemptions, not just those with very low incomes.
Reduces financial pressure on seniors. In municipalities where property taxes have surged along with home values, this change helps prevent seniors from being taxed out of their homes, supporting aging in place and housing stability.
Creates a clear definition of “high-appreciation municipality”. The bill sets out specific criteria for what counts as high-appreciation, ensuring targeted relief and preventing arbitrary application or loopholes.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Raise School Tax Exemption Limit
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to aging
- Referred to aging
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Expand Senior School Tax Breaks
In Assembly Committee · Aging · Sponsor Fred Thiele
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
S. 3609 A. 5335
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
February 11, 2019
IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Aging
AN ACT to amend the real property tax law, in relation to income requirements for the real property school tax exemption granted to persons sixty-five years of age or over in high-appreciation municipalities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 3 of section 467 of the real property tax law, as separately amended by chapters 131 and 279 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
(a) if the income of the owner or the combined income of the owners of the property for the income tax year immediately preceding the date of making application for exemption exceeds the sum of three thousand dollars, or such other sum not less than three thousand dollars nor more than twenty-six thousand dollars beginning July first, two thousand six, twenty-seven thousand dollars beginning July first, two thousand seven, twenty-eight thousand dollars beginning July first, two thousand eight, twenty-nine thousand dollars beginning July first, two thousand nine, [and] in a city with a population of one million or more fifty thousand dollars beginning July first, two thousand seventeen, and fifty thousand dollars beginning July first, two thousand nineteen in a county, city, town, village or school district which is a "high-appreciation municipality", as may be provided by the local law, ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to this section. For purposes of this paragraph, a "high-appreciation municipality" means: (i) a special assessing unit that is a city, (ii) a county for which the commissioner has established a sales price differential factor for purposes of the STAR exemption
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03208-01-9
S. 3609 2 A. 5335
authorized by section four hundred twenty-five of this title in three consecutive years, and (iii) a city, town, village or school district which is wholly or partly located within such a county. Income tax year shall mean the twelve month period for which the owner or owners filed a federal personal income tax return, or if no such return is filed, the calendar year. Where title is vested in either the husband or the wife, their combined income may not exceed such sum, except where the husband or wife, or ex-husband or ex-wife is absent from the property as provided in subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (d) of this subdivision, then only the income of the spouse or ex-spouse residing on the property shall be considered and may not exceed such sum. Such income shall include social security and retirement benefits, interest, dividends, total gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset which may be offset by a loss from the sale or exchange of a capital asset in the same income tax year, net rental income, salary or earnings, and net income from self-employment, but shall not include a return of capital, gifts, inheritances, payments made to individuals because of their status as victims of Nazi persecution, as defined in P.L. 103-286 or monies earned through employment in the federal foster grandparent program and any such income shall be offset by all medical and prescription drug expenses actually paid which were not reimbursed or paid for by insurance, if the governing board of a municipality, after a public hearing, adopts a local law, ordinance or resolution providing therefor. In addition, an exchange of an annuity for an annuity contract, which resulted in non-taxable gain, as determined in section one thousand thirty-five of the internal revenue code, shall be excluded from such income. Provided that such exclusion shall be based on satisfactory proof that such an exchange was solely an exchange of an annuity for an annuity contract that resulted in a non-taxable transfer determined by such section of the internal revenue code. Furthermore, such income shall not include the proceeds of a reverse mortgage, as authorized by section six-h of the banking law, and sections two hundred eighty and two hundred eighty-a of the real property law; provided, however, that monies used to repay a reverse mortgage may not be deducted from income, and provided additionally that any interest or dividends realized from the investment of reverse mortgage proceeds shall be considered income. The provisions of this paragraph notwithstanding, such income shall not include veterans disability compensation, as defined in Title 38 of the United States Code provided the governing board of such municipality, after public hearing, adopts a local law, ordinance or resolution providing therefor. In computing net rental income and net income from self-employment no depreciation deduction shall be allowed for the exhaustion, wear and tear of real or personal property held for the production of income;
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the real property tax law, in relation to income requirements for the real property school tax exemption grant- ed to persons sixty-five years of age or over in high-appreciation muni- cipalities
Purpose
To provide high appreciation municipalities with the opportunity to elect to increase the income eligibility level for the real property school tax exemption granted to persons sixty five years of age or over.
Summary of provisions
Paragraph (a) of subdivision 3 of section 467 of the real property tax law is amended to provide "high appreciation municipalities" with the opportunity to elect to increase the income eligibility level to $50,000 for the real property school tax exemption granted to person sixty five years of age or over beginning July 1, 2019. For the purposes of the paragraph a "high appreciation municipality" is defined as: a) a special assessing unit that is a city; b) a county for which the Commissioner has established a sales price differential factor for purposes of the STAR exemption authorized by section 425 of this title in three consec- utive years and c) a city, town, village or school district which is wholly or partly located within such county.
Justification
This legislation would allow a "high appreciation municipality" to adopt a local law, ordinance or resolution to increase the income eligibility level for the real property school tax exemption granted to persons sixty five years of age or over from $29,000 to $50,000 beginning July 1, 2019. Under current law, these areas include Long Island, New York City and the Hudson Valley. Under the State STAR program, the maximum income level for the Enhanced STAR benefit for senior citizens is $84,550. It is long over-due that the income eligibility for the senior citizen property tax exemption be increased in "high appreciation muni- cipalities" that elect to do so.
Legislative history
2017-18: A.3146-A/S.3817-A 2016:S.6868/A.9408
Fiscal implications
TBD.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.