Beginning with 2011-12 school tax bills, the savings resulting from the Basic or Enhanced STAR exemptions are limited to a 2% increase over the prior year.

The New York State School Tax Relief Program (STAR) provides homeowners with two types of partial exemptions from school property taxes. If you earn less than $500,000 and own and live in your home, you're probably eligible for the STAR exemption.

Two types of STAR exemptions:

Basic STAR

• available for owner-occupied, primary residences where the resident owners' and their spouses income is less than $500,000
• exempts the first $30,000 of the full value of a home from school taxes

Enhanced STAR

• provides an increased benefit for the primary residences of senior citizens (age 65 and older) with qualifying incomes
• exempts the first $62,200 of the full value of a home from school taxes as of 2012-13 school tax bills (up from $60,100 in 2011-12)

STAR exemptions apply only to school district taxes. They don't apply to property taxes for other purposes, such as county, town or city (except in cities where city property taxes fund schools - Buffalo, New York City, Rochester, Syracuse and Yonkers).

Also see: School Property Tax Report Cards hosted by the New York State Education Department.