Governor Jon S. Corzine announced today that the deadline for filing 2008 "Senior Freeze" (Property Tax Reimbursement Program) and Homestead Rebate applications has been extended until November 2, 2009.

"We want to ensure that all eligible residents have the opportunity to apply for this much-needed property tax relief," said Governor Corzine. "We worked hard in this challenging budget year to provide meaningful property tax relief to as many residents as we could and we need to make sure that they have the time they need to apply," he said, noting that one half of the total state budget is dedicated to property tax relief, including $1.7 billion in direct relief programs.

State Treasurer David Rousseau said that when all funding for direct relief programs in FY 2010 is included, total spending in the four Corzine Administration budgets amounts to nearly $7 billion, which is 35 percent higher than the cumulative total of any previous four-year administration.

"With the deadlines for these programs approaching, many potential applicants still need time to file," said Governor Corzine. "This extension will help to ensure that everyone who is eligible gets the chance to participate," he said.

The Division of Taxation last month mailed checks to eligible senior and disabled residents who applied for property tax relief benefits under the Senior Freeze and Homestead Rebate Programs. Checks for senior and disabled residents who file their applications after the original deadline will be processed and issued as quickly as possible.

Homestead Rebate checks for nonsenior and nondisabled homeowners are scheduled to be issued in October.

Information about the Homestead Rebate Program is available by calling the Homestead Rebate Hotline (1-888-238-1233 for homeowners or 1-888-213-8623 for tenants) from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Homeowners and tenants can find out the status of their Homestead Rebate check by calling 1‑877‑658‑2972, or online at Homestead Rebate Program - NJ Taxation. Rebate check information for homeowners who are under 65 and not disabled will not be available either online or by phone until October.

Homeowners who still have not filed their Homestead Rebate applications can do so by phone (1‑877‑658‑2972) or online at NJ Division of Taxation Home Page. The automated telephone filing system and Internet filing application are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The tenant rebate application and instructions are available on the Division of Taxation's Web site for those senior and disabled tenants who have not yet filed.

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