Peekskill assessor outlines STAR programs, proposes expanded senior exemption tiers

Bob Morin, representing the assessor's office, urged Peekskill homeowners to check their eligibility for the state's STAR programs and reminded residents that "all applications must be submitted by May 1." He said the basic STAR credit typically provides about $1,400 in annual savings and that the enhanced STAR exemption has been worth nearly $4,000 in recent years; he noted New York State will automatically grant the enhanced STAR to many existing basic STAR recipients beginning in 2026.

Morin outlined proposed local changes made possible by a recent revision to the real property tax law (presented in the packet as chapter 581) that would let the city add bonus exemption levels for lower-income seniors. Under the suggested sliding scale he described, incomes between $27,000 and $27,999 would see the senior exemption increase to 55%, incomes between $26,000 and $26,999 to 60%, and incomes below $26,000 to 65%. Morin said a review of 2025 applications shows 67 Peekskill households would have seen average additional savings of about $331 per year and that adoption would cost the city roughly $22,000 annually.

Council members asked about timing and implementation. Morin said the change requires local law, a public hearing and a vote; to make the tiers effective for the current filing cycle staff would need to set the public hearing on April 27 and adopt the local law that night. Several council members signaled support for moving the item forward to the April 27 meeting.