171-u. Verification of income eligibility for basic STAR exemption. (1) On or after August fifteenth of each year, beginning in two thousand ten, the commissioner shall procure a report or reports identifying all parcels receiving the basic STAR exemption authorized by section four hundred twenty-five of the real property tax law. The commissioner is authorized to develop procedures necessary to ascertain to the best of his or her ability whether the parcels satisfy the income eligibility requirements for such exemption. Such determination shall be based upon the affiliated income of the parcel for the applicable income tax year, as defined by paragraph (b-1) of subdivision three of section four hundred twenty-five of the real property tax law.
(2) The commissioner shall further develop procedures by which each assessor shall be notified of his or her findings, stating in each case either that the parcel does or does not meet the income eligibility standard prescribed by law, or that the income-eligibility of such parcel cannot be ascertained, whichever is appropriate. The commissioner shall provide no other information about the income of any person to an assessor. Such reports shall be furnished to assessors prior to the applicable taxable status date or as soon thereafter as is possible.
(3) Upon receiving such a report, the assessor shall grant the exemption to those parcels which the commissioner determined to be income-eligible (assuming the assessor finds that the remaining eligibility requirements continue to be satisfied), shall deny the exemption to those which the commissioner determined not to be income-eligible, and shall solicit income documentation from the owners of those parcels as to which the commissioner was unable to make a determination. Where the assessor denies the exemption based upon the commissioner's report, a notice of denial shall be mailed as provided by paragraph (b) of subdivision six of section four hundred twenty-five of the real property tax law, giving the findings of such department as a reason for such denial.
(4) Where a STAR exemption has been improperly granted on a final assessment roll to a property where the affiliated income exceeds the limitations established by paragraph (b-1) of subdivision three of section four hundred twenty-five of the real property tax law, the improperly granted exemption shall be corrected in the manner provided by subdivision twelve of section four hundred twenty-five of the real property tax law.
(5)(a) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the commissioner may adopt rules prescribing a uniform statewide system of parcel identification numbers applicable to all "assessing units", as that term is defined by section one hundred two of the real property tax law, provided that no such rule shall apply to an assessment roll with a taxable status date occurring prior to January first, two thousand thirteen.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subdivision, the commissioner may, at his or her discretion, adopt rules that are applicable only to "special assessing units," as that term is defined by section eighteen hundred one of the real property tax law, which prescribe an alternative system of parcel identification numbers solely for such special assessing units.
Last modified: February 3, 2019