Taxpayers have through May 31 to pay first half property tax bills
SPOKANE — County Treasurer Michael Baumgartner has announced a one-month extension for paying the first half of property taxes in 2021.
Taxpayers now have until May 31 to pay their assessed property taxes, rather than the usual due date of April 30, without accruing any interest or penalty charges. In a Feb. 3 news release, Baumgartner said the move was made to “provide tax relief resulting from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
State law provides county treasurers the authority to grant property tax extensions during a declared state of emergency. Baumgartner previously authorized extensions of 2020 property taxes totaling 105 additional days, the longest extension of counties in Washington State.
“While by law, I cannot reduce or waive your tax obligations, I do have the authority to provide more time to pay” Baumgartner said in a statement. “This extension provides an additional month for Spokane County taxpayers continuing to struggle from the various economic impacts of the pandemic to pay without facing delinquent charges.”
Following the 2020 tax collection cycle, the Treasurer’s Office reported a nearly 99 % collection rate across the county, consistent with regular tax cycles prior to the pandemic. The office also serviced approximately $150 million in government debt payments from collected revenues.
State law requires an annual 23 % interest and penalty rate to be charged to delinquent taxes. Due to last year’s tax extensions, Baumgartner said county taxpayers paid $1.2 million less in annual penalty and interest than the year prior.
“I am pleased that through our forecasting and cash management, our extension could help the people needing it most while also making sure that government’s obligations were made on time,.” he added.
The 2021 spring property tax extension only applies to real and personal property taxes due in Spokane County. Prior year delinquent taxes are not included in the extension. Property taxes paid on behalf of taxpayers such as through mortgage loan service providers remain due by the statutory April 30 deadline.
Taxpayers can except to begin receiving their annual property tax statements by mid-March. Property tax statements include important taxpayer information including basic eligibility for tax exemption programs and data on how taxes are distributed and what taxes are approved by voters versus imposed by government itself.
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