C RY D E R
P O I N T
FEBRUARY 12
Queens drivers: Avoid parking in bus lanes – or else
BY MARK HALLUM
mhallum@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
If you’re driving in Queens and need to
pull over, make sure you don’t stop your
car in a bus lane.
With the launch of dedicated bus lanes
all over the city in an effort to cut down
on commute times for bus riders across
the city, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced
a new crackdown on bus lane parking
on Jan. 24, and warned that blocking the
right of way could result in hefty towing
bills.
“This is going to be crucial – clearing
out those lanes, making sure that the
buses can move. And it’s really clear to
all the folks out there who think about or
ever think about parking in a bus lane –
don’t do it. Don’t do it because these good
public servants are coming to get you out
of that bus lane if you’re blocking millions
of New Yorkers from being able to get
where they need to go,” de Blasio said. “No
one wants to see cars towed. If you don’t
violate the law, you’re going to be fine. But
we’re here to send a very strong message:
There’s no parking in our bus lanes.”
De Blasio said NYPD will now have
squads of tow trucks at their disposal
dedicated to hauling off illegally parked
Seniors: Don’t forget to apply for Enhanced STAR credit
The New York State Department of
Taxation and Finance reminded property
owners age 65 and over who are applying or
reapplying to receive the Enhanced STAR
exemption in 2019 that they must now enroll
in the Income Verification Program (IVP).
Those already enrolled in the IVP don’t
need to take any action to continue receiving
their Enhanced STAR exemption.
New IVP enrollees will likewise automatically
receive the exemption each year
they’re eligible.
In the first year of enrollment, the assessor
will verify eligibility based on the
income information provided by the
homeowner. In subsequent years, the New
York State Tax Department will automatically
verify eligibility. As a result, homeowners
will no longer need to renew the
exemption or share income tax returns
with their local assessor’s office.
“This change applies only to seniors
65 or older applying for the Enhanced
STAR exemption or those who have the
exemption included in their property tax
bills,” said Acting Commissioner Nonie
Manion. “This doesn’t affect those who
receive a check for this exemption because
we already verify their income eligibility.”
Next steps
If you already receive the Enhanced
STAR exemption but aren’t yet enrolled
in the IVP, you must renew your application
for the Enhanced STAR exemption
and enroll in the IVP. Submit the following
forms to your assessor:
• Form RP-425-Rnw, Renewal Application
for Enhanced STAR Exemption for the
2019-2020 School Year; and
• Form RP-425-IVP, Supplement for
Forms RP-425-E and RP-425-Rnw
• If you receive the Basic STAR exemption
now and are eligible for Enhanced STAR
in 2019, you must apply for it and enroll
in the IVP. Submit the following forms
to your assessor:
• Form RP-425-E, Application for
Enhanced STAR Exemption for the
2019-2020 School Year; and
• Form RP-425-IVP, Supplement to
Forms RP-425-E and RP-425-Rnw
If you’re a new homeowner or first-time
STAR applicant, you need to register for
the STAR credit with the Tax Department
instead of applying for the exemption. You
can register here: www.tax.ny.gov/STAR.
Required information
Be sure to complete all forms entirely,
including the Social Security numbers
of all property owners and any owner’s
spouse who resides at the property. You
must also provide proof of income.
Deadlines
The deadline for applications is March 1
in most communities, but the date varies
12 CRYDER POINT COURIER | FEBRUARY 2019 | WWW.QUEENSCOURIER.COM
in some locations. Contact your assessor
for the deadline in your area.
Senior citizens exemption
If you’re also receiving the senior citizens
exemption, you’ll still need to annually
renew that benefit with your assessor.
To renew your application, file Form
RP-467-Rnw with your assessor.
In the past, seniors who qualified
for the senior citizens exemption were
automatically granted the Enhanced
STAR exemption. Beginning in 2019,
you must apply separately for both
exemptions. Follow the instructions
Photo via Getty Images
above to apply or renew the Enhanced
STAR exemption.
To apply or renew the senior citizens
exemption, file the appropriate form with
your assessor:
• first-time applicants must file Form
RP-467, Application for Partial Tax
Exemption for Real Property of Senior
Citizens
• renewal applicants must file Form
RP-467-Rnw, Renewal Application for
Partial Tax Exemption for Real Property
of Senior Citizens
From the New York State Department of
Taxation and Finance
cars in bus lanes with seven teams in each
of the five boroughs, which could mean
there are seven to 12 tow trucks across the
city ready to remove vehicles.
The mayor said more New Yorkers
should use the option of public transit,
specifically mentioning Select Bus Service
(SBS) and NYC Ferry which is rapidly
expanding. Queens has several SBS
routes that use dedicated bus lanes, such
as along Main Street for the Q44 SBS, and
Woodhaven and Cross Bay Boulevards for
the Q52/Q53 SBS.
“It’s within our power to get people
more and better options for getting
around,” de Blasio continued. “That’s why,
for example, we announced the expansion
of NYC Ferry. That’s why we’re going to be
fighting, these next months in Albany, for
a plan to actually fund the MTA properly
and get our subways to run on time. The
goal here is to make sure that we speed
things up and we have better options and
we can do it, When it comes to buses
clearing out the lanes is part of what we
need to do.”
NYPD Chief of Transportation Thomas
Chan was on hand to support de Blasio’s
initiative to clear bus lanes and said summonses
for moving violations in bus lanes
have increased 612 percent since the beginning
of 2019 while tows have increased
by 7 percent.
“This bus unit deploys daily as a complement
to our existing enforcement deployment,”
Chan said. “Beginning last
year, the NYPD began meeting frequently
with our members of the MTA bus operations
in order to develop a plan in response
to New York City’s most congested
bus routes. As a result of this partnership,
we determined specific bus routes in each
borough that would benefit most from the
increased attention by towing and also enforcement
resources.”
In December, the city announced that
the rollout of bus lanes on Woodhaven
and Cross Bay Boulevard had been a success,
decreasing people’s commute times
by 9 to 10 percent, despite community
opposition to the proposal.
A ticket for parking in a bus lane can
cost up $115 and price of a tow can set a
motorist back $185, Chan said.
Cameras currently in place to monitor
bus lanes will help the city enforce this
initiative, de Blasio said.
For trucks making deliveries, Chan said
they will not be making any exceptions
but will help trucks find a better location
on offload.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
The bus lane on Woodhaven Boulevard in Woodhaven
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