Office of the State Treasurer

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information: Micah Rasmussen
August 11, 2004
 
(609) 633-6565
NJ SAVER REBATE FILING DEADLINE EXTENDED,
McGREEVEY ANNOUNCES


 TRENTON – Governor James E. McGreevey announced today that the deadline for filing the 2003 NJ SAVER rebate application has been extended from August 16 to October 1, 2004.

 “Now that the FAIR plan is in effect, this year’s NJ SAVER rebate checks for property taxpayers will increase to as high as $800, from an average last year of $250 – as part of our plan to provide immediate property tax relief for 2 million middle class families and seniors,” Governor McGreevey said.

 “We are pushing back the NJ SAVER application deadline to ensure that as many New Jersey taxpayers as possible take advantage of the program. The extra time will ensure that residents become fully informed about the program – and will make sure that as many New Jerseyans as possible will apply,” Governor McGreevey said.

 The mailing of the applications, which usually occurs in early May, was delayed this year while the Division of Taxation implemented processing and programming changes made necessary by Governor McGreevey’s FAIR plan. As a result, the filing period was shorter than in previous years. 1.3 million applications have been filed thus far.

 “This has been a year of many positive changes for all of New Jersey’s direct property tax relief programs, highlighted by more funding for the Senior Freeze (PTR), and larger Homestead and NJ SAVER rebates for about 2 million seniors and middle-class taxpayers,” said State Treasurer John E. McCormac. “As part of our efforts to ensure that all New Jerseyans are fully informed about the changes and get the opportunity to apply for the benefits for which they’re eligible, we are extending the filing deadline for NJ SAVER applications to October 1,” he said.

 Under the FAIR plan, 93 percent of New Jersey homeowners will receive larger rebate checks this year. More than 1.1 million homeowners who received NJ SAVER rebates that averaged $250 last year will receive checks of up to $800. Approximately 190,000 families with income between $125,000 and $200,000 will see their average rebate check from last year double, to $500. As in recent years, the rebates will be limited to filers with gross incomes under $200,000.

 In previous years, non-senior homeowners with income of $40,000 or less would receive a homestead rebate check of $90 at the end of July and an NJ SAVER rebate check in the fall. Added together, the two checks last year amounted to the average SAVER of approximately $250. With the merging of the NJ SAVER and Homestead Rebate Program, these qualifying homeowners this year will instead receive a single check, in an amount that is two to three times last year's amount, in the form of an NJ SAVER rebate check.

 Checks for NJ SAVER rebate applications filed by the original deadline of August 16 will be mailed on or before October 15, 2004. Checks for applications filed between August 17 and the extended filing deadline of October 1, 2004, will be issued as quickly as possible, but may not be included for the October distribution.

 Any New Jersey resident who owned a home as their principal residence on October 1, 2003, and paid property taxes on that home should be sure to file the NJ SAVER rebate application, even if they received a homestead rebate check. By filing both, the homeowner ensures that they are receiving the maximum benefit for which they are eligible. Homeowners who haven't filed their NJ SAVER rebate application yet can do so by calling 1-877-658-2972. They can also file online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at www.njsaverrebate.com.

 Immediate relief, in the form of higher NJ SAVER and Homestead Rebate checks, is just part of Governor McGreevey’s three-pronged FAIR (Fair and Immediate Relief) property tax plan.

 The plan also contains measures for long-term relief. These include a call for a freeze on State, municipal and school district spending, and the possibility of a Constitutional convention on New Jersey’s property tax structure. The Governor will appoint a Citizens Task Force to study how a convention should be structured, what its scope should be, and how delegates should be selected. The Task Force will make recommendations in time for the Legislature to create a ballot question in 2005, on whether or not to hold a Constitutional convention.

 Photos and audio and video clips from Governor McGreevey’s press conferences are available
 in the Office of the Governor section on the State of New Jersey web page, http://www.nj.gov/.



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