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Schenectady seeking fraudulent STAR exemption claims
Friday, March 14, 2008
By Kathleen Moore (Contact)
Gazette Reporter

SCHENECTADY — The city Law Department is painstakingly hunting down city residents who lie to get a break on their school taxes.
A lengthy investigation has so far uncovered two property owners who claimed the STAR exemption but did not meet the only requirement for the tax break: To get the exemption, owners must live on the property.
In the most recent case, Corporation Counsel L. John Van Norden said a landlord filed for the exemption on a rental property.
“Apparently they don’t see the part where you sign under, 'I swear, under penalty of perjury, this is my main residence,’” Van Norden said. “If it’s not your residence, you don’t get the STAR exemption.”
The law department learned about the landlord’s property when a tenant inadvertently turned the man in.
“A tenant came in asking if there was a rental certificate for the single family house he was renting,” Van Norden said. “We looked up and the landlord had made an application for the STAR exemption.”
It’s just one of the many tricks that property owners use to take advantage of the state’s tax-reduction program, he said.
Some will claim multiple properties, including their main house and a vacation home.
“Unfortunately you don’t get it for every property you own,” Van Norden said. “I can’t even split it by having my wife claim [a second property] and pretend to live there. You get one property per household. Don’t be clever — the state has thought of all of it.”
One case has already gone to court, where Boopram Ramnarine was ordered to pay back the taxes he had avoided. He paid $3,146 in return for having his charge reduced to disorderly conduct, Van Norden said.
Van Norden had hoped the man would be sent to jail for a short time instead. Filing a false instrument — by claiming the exemption inappropriately — is a class-E felony, which is punishable by up to 4 years in jail.
“That’s what I’d like to see, jail time,” Van Norden said. “But paying back the tax, that’s a good result.”

Hey, jail time - good idea VanIdiot.

Sounds exactly what Maceajka was saving Steve Tomassone's mother and brother from in Rotterdam.  Public embaraasment a fine and potential jail time.  Probably still cost the guy his job because he wouldn't break the law for no one, even the Supervisor's persistant mother and brother.

http://www.dailygazette.com

Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY
City says residents lied to get tax break
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

    The city law department is hunting down city residents who lie to get a break on their school taxes.
    A lengthy investigation has so far uncovered two property owners who claimed the STAR exemption but did not meet the only requirement for the tax break, according to officials. To get the exemption, owners must live on the property.
    In the most recent case, Corporation Counsel L. John Van Norden said a landlord filed for the exemption on a rental property.
    “Apparently they don’t see the part where you sign under, ‘I swear, under penalty of perjury, this is my main residence,’ ” Van Norden said. “If it’s not your residence, you don’t get the STAR exemption.”
    The law department learned about the landlord’s property when a tenant inadvertently turned the man in.
    “A tenant came in asking if there was a rental certificate for the single-family house he was renting,” Van Norden said. “We looked it up, and the landlord had made an application for the STAR exemption.”
    It’s just one of the many tricks that property owners use to take advantage of the state’s tax-reduction program, he said.
    Some will claim multiple properties, including their main house and a vacation home.
    “Unfortunately you don’t get it for every property you own,” Van Norden said. “I can’t even split it by having my wife claim [a second property] and pretend to live there. You get one property per household. Don’t be clever — the state has thought of all of it.”
ORDERED TO PAY
    One case has already gone to court, where Boopram Ramnarine was ordered to pay back the taxes he had avoided. He paid $3,146 in return for having his charge reduced to disorderly conduct, Van Norden said.
    Van Norden had hoped the man would be sent to jail for a short time instead. Filing a false instrument — by claiming the exemption inappropriately — is a class-E felony, which is punishable by up to four years in jail.
    “That’s what I’d like to see, jail time,” Van Norden said. “But paying back the tax, that’s a good result.”
    The city and the school district don’t get that money. It actually goes back to the state, which pays the school district the difference between the regular tax rate and each owner’s exemption rate, Van Norden said.
    But even though the local government doesn’t benefit, Van Norden said the investigation is valuable to the taxpayers. After all, it’s their money that the state uses to pay for the exemption.
    And, Van Norden said, it comes down to fairness.
    “They’re not paying their fair share of taxes,” he said of the false filers. “Our records are used to determine the allocation of taxes among the taxpayers and they need to pay their fair share.”
    The state relies on each municipality’s assessor to police the exemptions, he added.
    The investigation has been going on for months. The law department has been checking each exemption claim, verifying addresses through DMV records, board of election records and property deeds.
    When a questionable address is found, the matter is referred to the police department for prosecution. If there’s enough evidence, Van Norden also asks the assessor’s office to immediately remove the owner’s STAR exemption.
    The basic STAR exemption reduces the property’s assessed value by $30,000 for the purposes of determining school taxes. In Schenectady, where the current school tax rate is $31.62 per $1,000 of assessed property, this would save owners a maximum of $948. The average city school tax bill is $2,529 and the average house in Schenectady is assessed at $80,000.

We shouldn't have to lie for a tax break nor should we have to cry to the government for a tax break from the beheamoth's giant appetite for the masses sweat.....SHOW ME THE MONEY TRAIL.....and exactly what are we getting a tax break from????---Peter or Paul.....Unions or government,,,,,cant tell the difference anymore....it's just a bunch of air....what a sham what a sham-----there is a dissident at hand.......it doesn't matter what party is doing what.....THEY ALL EAT AT THE SAME TABLES AND RUB ELBOWS AT THE SAME FUNCTIONS......AND THERE IS NO STRAW FOR THE BRICKS........ >