JoAnne Wright
(518) 392-1508
Collector of School Taxes
Chatham CSD
50 Woodbridge Ave.
Chatham, NY 12037

View Your Tax Information Online

Property owners may access their tax information and pay their tax bill through Info Tax Online
(Please allow seven business days after date of payment for paid status to appear online.)

School Tax Collection Period

School property tax bills are mailed out in late August.

Payment of school taxes may be made for a one month period from September 1 through September 30, 2024 to the Chatham Central School District Tax Collector.

Taxes will also be collected from October 1 through October 31, 2024 and shall bear interest at the rate of 2% until the warrant expires on October 31, 2024. No tax payments received November 1 or later will be accepted or processed by the school tax collector. All taxes remaining unpaid, plus penalty, on November 1, 2024, pending board approval, shall be returned to The County Treasurer of Columbia County for further collection.

Payment of Taxes

Online: Taxpayers may pay tax bills online at Info Tax Online. Simply enter your information into Info Tax Online and click “search.” Once you have brought up your tax information, the “Pay Balance” tab appears near the bottom left of the screen (convenience fees will apply to all online payments.)

Mail: The school district will accept payments by mail so long as the payment is in the exact amount due and made payable to “CCSD Tax Collector.” Payment mailing address: The Bank of Greene County, PO Box 358, Ghent, NY 12075. You must include the original tax bill with your payment. No partial payments will be accepted.

In Person: Payment of school taxes may be made in person to the CCSD Tax Collector at The Bank of Greene County, 2631 Rt. 66 in Ghent. You must bring your tax bill with you! No partial payments will be accepted.

STAR (School Tax Relief) Exemption/Credit

Basic STAR exemption/credit: Most residents who own and live in their home are eligible for the NYS Basic STAR property tax exemption/credit on their primary residence. Basic STAR works by exempting a portion of the full value of a home from school taxes.

Enhanced STAR exemption/credit: Available for senior citizens (age 65 and older) with yearly household incomes not exceeding the statewide standard. For these qualifying persons, an additional percentage of the full value of their primary residence is exempted from school taxes.

• Learn more about the STAR program

Important Changes to STAR Exemption Program: New applicants who qualify for STAR must register with New York State instead of applying with their assessor. You will receive a credit in the form of a check, rather than receiving a property tax exemption. The dollar value of the credit will be the same as the property tax exemption. You can register online at the www.tax.ny.gov website or by phone at (518) 457-2036. These changes do not affect homeowners who registered for the STAR exemption prior to the 2015 deadline.

Additional Exemptions

The Chatham Board of Education discounts school taxes for the District’s senior citizen low-income homeowners, certain persons with disabilities, and certain members of our volunteer Fire/EMS services at the highest rate allowable by NYS Real Property Tax Law. The law gives school districts, at their own discretion, the option to grant these exemptions. Eligible Chatham CSD property owners should apply for these exemptions each year through their town assessor’s office.

Senior Citizen Exemption: The District grants a reduction in the amount of property taxes paid on a primary residence by qualifying senior citizens, who must be 65 years of age or older and meet certain income limitations (see sliding scale) and other requirements under Section 467 of the Real Property Tax Law. Learn more

• Application form

Limited Income Disability Exemption: The District grants a reduction in the amount of property taxes paid on a primary residence by qualifying persons with disabilities. To qualify, persons must have documented evidence of their disability and meet certain income limitations (see sliding scale) and other requirements under Section 459-c of the Real Property Tax Law. Learn more

• Application form

Volunteer Fire/EMS Exemption: The District grants an exemption in the amount of 10% of the assessed value (not exceeding $3,000 multiplied by the latest State Equalization Rate) for a primary residence owned by an enrolled member of an incorporated volunteer fire company, fire department or incorporated volunteer ambulance service as authorized by Section 466-d of the Real Property Tax Law.

• Application form

Alternative Veterans’ Exemption and Gold Star Exemption: The District also grants a reduction in the amount of property taxes paid on a primary residence by qualifying veterans in the form of the basic level Alternative Veterans’ Exemption. In order to be eligible, veterans must have served during specifically identified conflicts. The District also extends this exemption to Gold Star parents, which exempts the parents of a service member killed in action from a portion of the property taxes on their primary residence. Eligible residents must apply with their Town Assessor (submit a copy of your DD-214 with the application) in order to receive this benefit. To learn more about the Alternative Veterans’ Exemption and Gold Star Exemption, please visit www.tax.ny.gov.

Town Assessors

Austerlitz:
(518) 392-3260 x305
assessor@austerlitzny.com

Canaan:
(518) 781-3433
assessor@canaannewyork.org

Chatham:
(518) 392-2550
chatassessor@fairpoint.net

Ghent:
(518) 392-4644 x204
ghentassessor@fairpoint.net

Kinderhook:
(518) 784-2233 x304
tokassessor@fairpoint.net

New Lebanon:
(518) 794-8875
assessor@townofnewlebanon.com

Columbia County

The Columbia County Real Property Tax Services website offers links concerning Columbia County, NY properties, including STAR & other exemptions, tax assessors, tax collectors, tax rates, tax assessments, tax sales data, tax maps, etc.

Columbia County Treasurer:
(518) 828-0513