Supervisors approve 20-day extension on deadline to pay first installment of certain County Taxes

In a perhaps record-setting meeting for brevity, the Warren County Board of Supervisors, minus one – Happy Creek Supervisor Jay Butler arrived a tad late for the 3-minute-29-second meeting – approved the lone agenda item following a Public Hearing at which no one spoke, and no letters by absent citizens were received.

Approved by a 4-0 vote on a motion by Walt Mabe, seconded by Vicky Cook, was adoption of an ordinance “to delay penalties and interest upon personal property, machinery and tools, and vehicle license taxes until June 25, 2022”. The 20-day delay in imposing late payment penalties on the above taxes is due to the ongoing delay in resolution of state budget variables by the General Assembly in Richmond.

The WC Board of Supervisors played to an empty room at Tuesday’s Special Meeting Public Hearing on extending certain tax payment deadlines. And 3-minutes-and-29-seconds after the 6 p.m. special meeting was convened, the room got even emptier. Royal Examiner Photos by Roger Bianchini

With the matter having been discussed at length at previous meetings or work sessions, there was little board discussion preceding the opening and closing of the public hearing. Delores Oates wondered if the tax notices would be mailed out with the normal payment deadline of June 5th on them. Discussion indicated that while they would carry the normal June 5 (first installment) and December 5 (second installment) due date deadlines that are part of County Codes, an explanation of passage of the evening’s ordinance amending the imposition of first installment penalties and interest in 2022 would be added to the bills by the involved County departmental staff.

Supervisor Mabe asked if the late-payment waiver could be extended beyond June 25 if ongoing issues at the state level continued. County Administrator Ed Daley suggested a further extension not be done. He explained that the potential delayed revenue from specific County taxes did not impact the State revenue side of the County’s budget equation, so an additional payment extension locally wouldn’t be necessary regardless of further delays in Richmond. Much of the discussion locally on budget delays at the state level has revolved around Personal Property Tax rates, particularly as they relate to increased valuations on used vehicles due to supply chain issues with new vehicles.

County Administrator Ed Daley briefed the board on the intent of extending the first installment due date on three specific county taxes this year and responded to two logistical questions on implementing that 20-day extension from June 5 to June 25.

Following those two brief board Q&A’s with the county administrator, Board Chair Cullers opened the public hearing to a meeting room with no public present at the 2:35 mark of the meeting.

Following Board Clerk Emily Ciarrocchi’s negative response to the chair’s question on receipt of any public correspondence on the matter, the public hearing was closed 13 seconds later, leading to Mabe’s motion to approve the 20-day extension on late payment penalties and interest.

And following the 4-0 roll call vote of approval, Mabe responded to the chair’s call for a motion to adjourn, which was enthusiastically responded to by a voice vote, as noted above, 3-minutes-and-29 seconds after the special meeting was convened at 6 p.m.

The meeting can be viewed in its entirety – all 3:29 of it – in the County video.