Supervisors add Real Estate, Sanitary District Taxes to June 25 late payment extension – and assure citizens they have not raised taxes this year

At 1:43 pm Friday afternoon, June 3rd, the media along with county staff and board members were alerted by email that the Warren County Board of Supervisors would hold a Special Meeting called as an “Emergency” at 5:00 pm that afternoon. The purpose of the meeting was to complete the board’s effort to allow the temporary altering of county codes related to penalties and interest being attached to late payment of certain taxes.

It was the board’s second meeting within two weeks to deal with the issue. A public hearing and vote at a special meeting on May 24, applied the 20-day extension to June 25 to Personal Property, Machinery and Tools, and Vehicle License Taxes. See: Supervisors approve 20-day extension on deadline to pay first installment of certain County Taxes

With the normal late payment date of June 5 quickly approaching with the weekend, Friday’s Emergency Meeting added Real the Estate Tax and Sanitary District fee-based Taxes to the June 25th extension. It was noted that means that those impacted taxes must be paid or mailed and postmarked by June 24 to avoid any imposition of penalties and interest for late payment of the first installment of those taxes normally due by June 5. – Good thing with that approval coming about 5:22 pm on Friday afternoon, with the WCGC offices closed at 5:00 pm and not scheduled to reopen until Monday morning, June 6. Hence the “emergency” nature of the meeting.

As 5 o’clock approached a few staff members and a reporter’s notebook were the only signs of life off the board dais. Below, County Administrator Ed Daley fields questions on dynamics of the board’s action to extend the deadline for imposition of penalties and interest for late payment of two additional taxes from June 5 to June 25.

After some back and forth with staff, including County Administrator Ed Daley, Assistant County Attorney Caitlin Jordan, Treasurer Jamie Spiker, and Finance Director Matt Robertson, over dynamics of the proposed motion to accommodate the code change legally as to which tax payments would be impacted or not by the payment extension, board Chair Cheryl Cullers read a motion prepared by staff into the meeting record. Cullers then called for a motion on approval of what she had just read.

“Madam Chair, so moved,” Happy Creek Supervisor Jay Butler replied, with Walt Mabe offering a second. The board then unanimously approved the delay of the imposition of penalties and interest on Real Estate and Sanitary District fee-based taxes until June 25.

The meeting started five minutes late to accommodate the arrival of Supervisor Butler, who contacted by phone noted he was on his way. Board Chair Cullers explained the full board was required to be present for action at a meeting called on an “emergency” basis.

No members of the public appeared at either the May 24th or June 3rd meeting to address the issue of delayed late fees. However, on June 3 board members spent some time explaining that the higher County Personal Property Taxes being received this year were due to the increased valuation of certain used cars due to supply chain issues, and was not the result of any tax increase imposed by the board of supervisors this year. It was also noted that municipalities continue to work without a final state budget having been approved in Richmond.

Supervisors Oates, speaking, and Board Chair Cullers to her left, wanted to be sure county taxpayers understood that rising Personal Property Tax bills were not due the board’s raising of taxes this year. However, there was no discussion of potential short or long-term financial implications of the $400,000 Finance Director Matt Robertson explained the County will have to produce to cover its tax relief efforts above those covered by State reimbursements.

See the final motion, vote, and full discussion, including Finance Director Matt Robertson’s explanation of how the County has attempted to go above and beyond in offering tax relief variables to citizens (9:20 video mark) at a $400,000 loss this year, in this 16-minute-and-41-second Warren County meeting video.