KINDERHOOK – Over one hundred people in the Town of Kinderhook have not re-registered for the STAR exemption for their 2013 property taxes, according to Town Supervisor Pat Grattan. Mr. Grattan made the announcement at a board meeting on April 14, the day before tax day.
He said that he and the town clerk had been trying to contact people about registering for the exemption and that the names would be posted on the town’s website, www.kinderhook-ny.gov. He also said that the people he was able to contact at this point about registering have called the state and were still able to sign up for the exemption.
The state asked everyone to register for the STAR exemption by December 31, 2013 to avoid duplications and fraud. Seniors with Enhanced STAR did not have to register again.
“There is nothing the town can do at this point,” Mr. Grattan said of people who did not register. He stressed that people eligible for the exemption who did not contact the state about registration before the deadline need to contact the state not the town.
The state website for state Department of Taxation and Finance, the agency that handles the exemptions, is www.tax.ny.gov. The number to call is 518 457-2036.
The board also adopted a motion requesting the state reduce the speed limit on Route 9 between Route 28 and the traffic circle. The current speed limit there is 55 mph.
Jerry Leggieri, who lives on Birch Road, attended the meeting with a packet full of letters from different local and state officials requesting a 45 mph limit. Mr. Leggieri said that residents in that part of town have been seeking a reduced speed limit since 2006.
“The state police support reducing the speed limit; the sheriff supports reducing the speed limit,” he told the board.
The owners of Golden Harvest and Yonder Farms also attended the meeting in support of the lower speed limit. Alan Grout of Golden Harvest said that during apple picking season tractors from his farm cross Route 9 over 2,000 times. He said thanked the board for taking up the issue and for getting the information to the state.
Mr. Grout also said that traffic has been a steady flow on Route 9 since the state replaced the traffic light at the intersections of Routes 9 and 9H with a traffic circle and there are more businesses now on that stretch. He also pointed out that Family Dollar plans to build a new store on that part of Route 9.
Mr. Leggieri said that drivers are distracted and going fast on Route 9, making it dangerous for local residents to exit and enter the highway. He asked the town board to “make the strongest statement you can” to the state about the matter.
Also at the meeting the board:
•Approved the plan by Girl Scout Troop 1755 to build a bench at the 9/11 memorial at Volunteer Park
•Approved an agreement with the Village of Valatie for the town to pay the total cost of heating and electricity for one classroom in the Martin H. Glynn Building to be used by the Tri-Village Seniors. The Tri-Village senior group, which has always been supported by the town, wanted to meet in a different space than the village senior group, which meets at the Valatie Senior Center on Williams Street, so the town agreed to pay the cost for the room instead of splitting it with the village
•Honored DPW working Kevin Costa, who is retiring after over 35 years with the department.
The next meeting is Monday, May 12 at 7 p.m. in the Martin H. Glynn Building.
To contact reporter Emilia Teasdale email eteasdale@columbiapaper.com.
