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The Corzine administration announced Thursday that the deadline for filing 2008 "Senior Freeze" or Homestead Rebate applications has been extended until Nov. 2.

"We want to ensure that all eligible residents have the opportunity to apply for this much-needed property tax relief," said Gov. Jon 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.''

The governor said 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 the 2009-10 state budget 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," Corzine said. "This extension will help to ensure that everyone who is eligible gets the chance to participate."

One group of New Jerseyans who need not worry about a Homestead Rebate deadline are non-senior renters. They were the one middle- or low-income group cut out of the rebate program this year.

The state 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 Reba te programs. Checks for senior and disabled residents who file their applications after the original deadline will be processed and issued as quickly as possible.

Rebate checks for non-senior and non-disabled homeowners are scheduled to be issued in October.

Information about the rebate program is available by calling the Homestead Rebate Hotline: 1-888-238-1233 for homeowners or 1-888-213-8623 for senior and disabled tenants from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.

Homeowners and tenants can find out the status of their rebate check by calling 1‑877‑658‑2972, or online at www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/homestead/hrintro.shtml. Rebate check information for homeowners who are unde r 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 www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/. 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 more information on the Senior Freeze program, to obtain an application, or to check the status of a reimbursement check, contact the Property Tax Reimbursement Hotline at 1-800-882-6597 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Information about the program is also available on the Division of Taxation's web site at www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/propfrez.shtml.

— TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM