Office of the State Treasurer

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2005
 CONTACTS:  

Tom Vincz
(609) 633-6565

Property Tax Relief Alert: Fair Homeowner Rebate Applications to be Mailed over the Next Two Weeks



 TRENTON - Acting Governor Richard J. Codey and State Treasurer John E. McCormac announced today that New Jersey middle-class homeowners will begin to receive their FAIR Rebate applications as early as this week. Following the adoption of the FY 2006 budget, which funds $1.1 billion in direct property tax relief for the FAIR rebates, the Division of Taxation is mailing 1.95 million application packets to eligible homeowners over the next two weeks. The deadline for filing these applications is August 15, 2005 .

 New Jersey residents who owned a home that was their principal residence on October 1, 2004 , and paid property taxes on that home, may be eligible for the 2004 FAIR rebate, provided their 2004 gross income was $200,000 or less.

 "We have enacted an honest and responsible budget that provides more than $1 billion in direct property tax relief through the FAIR program," said Governor Codey. "Our budget ensures that seniors will receive the same FAIR check benefit they received last year and funds FAIR checks to middle class homeowners and tenants as well," Codey said.

 "The new budget achieves maximum property tax relief while keeping bureaucratic spending in check and building a much-needed surplus," said Treasurer McCormac. The Treasurer noted that the FAIR rebate program is part of a $13.9 billion commitment - about one-half of the $ 27.9 billion budget for FY 2006 -- to property tax relief.

 Senior and disabled homeowners received their FAIR applications in mid-April and will receive checks of up to $1,200 in early August provided they filed their applications by June 1. Checks for senior and disabled homeowners who file between June 1 and August 15 will be issued as quickly as possible.

 Tenants, who filed for their FAIR rebates through their income tax forms, will receive their checks in early August. The maximum rebate for senior and disabled tenants is $825. Eligible non-senior, non-disabled tenants will receive rebates of $75.

 For non-senior, non-disabled homeowners, the FAIR program provides rebates of up to $350 for homeowners with incomes of up to $125,000, and up to $300 for the remaining eligible homeowners. Checks for all non-senior, non-disabled homeowners will arrive in the fall.

 The FAIR homeowner rebate automated telephone filing system and the Internet filing application are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Once they receive their applications, homeowners can file for the FAIR rebate by phone by calling 1-877-658-2972, or online at: www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation , according to Robert K. Thompson, Director of the Division of Taxation. The filing deadline is August 15, 2005 .

 Thompson cautioned that there may be some overlap in this application mailing whereby some senior and disabled homeowners who have already filed for the FAIR homeowner receive another packet. "These homeowners need not apply again if they already filed and received a confirmation number, or if they completed and mailed in a FAIR homeowner rebate paper application," Thompson advised.

 For more information on the FAIR Rebate Program homeowners may call the FAIR Rebate Hotline at 1-888-238-1233 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. , Monday through Friday. FAIR rebate information is also available on the Division of Taxation's Web site at www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/relief.htm and through the Division's Automated Tax Information System at 1-800-323-4400. TTY service is provided for the hearing impaired at 1-800-286-6613 or 609-984-7300.

 FAIR homeowner rebate applications are scheduled to be delivered as follows:

County
Expected Delivery Date
Cape May, Union
July 7
Camden , Hudson , Hunterdon, Salem , Somerset
July 8
Bergen , Burlington , Cumberland , Warren
July 12
Gloucester , Mercer, Middlesex, Passaic
July 14
Morris, Ocean
July 15
Atlantic, Essex, Monmouth , Sussex
July 19

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