Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino reminds all homeowners with a primary residence in Westchester County that they must register with the state to continue to receive the Basic STAR property tax exemption.

The exemption gives a reduction on school taxes and is available for owner-occupied, primary residences where the income of the resident owners and spouse is less than $500,000.

The state is updating its records, looking to purge records of people who no longer qualify. Qualifying homeowners who do not register will lose this exemption.

"We have more than 130,000 resident homeowners who now receive the Basic STAR property tax exemption, most of whom should still qualify," said Astorino. "We do not want anyone to lose out on receiving this property tax relief, so it is critical for residents to register for the exemption."

Astorino advised homeowners to be on the alert for a letter from the state Department of Taxation and Finance with specific directions on the registration process as well as a code for their individual property. Once you receive your letter and code, go to www.tax.ny.gov and register.

If you do not receive a letter from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, you can go to www.tax.ny.gov and register by following the process to search for your lookup code or you can register by calling (518) 457-2036. If you have any questions call (518) 457-2036 during normal business hours for assistance. Do not contact your local assessor.  This is a New York State Department of Finance registration program.

Seniors with the Enhance STAR property tax exemption, which is based on financial eligibility, do not have to register.