UPDATE: The Town of Huntsville posted the following message on its social media accounts on March 21: “Huntsville, we have heard your concerns on the upcoming tax due date. The Town is listening and staff are currently working on recommendations for Council to assist tax payers during this time of uncertainty. More information will be communicated as it becomes available.”
The Town of Huntsville will not be deferring the due date on property tax payments at this time, said Huntsville Mayor Karin Terziano.
The City of Toronto announced it would be deferring property tax payments for 60 days as well as utility bills, also managed by the municipality, as of April 1. Others like Ottawa and Mississauga have followed suit to try and ease the uncertainty faced by property owners during the COVID-19 crisis.
Terziano said council discussed the issue at its March 17 council meeting and decided the impact of COVID-19 here would be greater as time progresses. Unless you pay monthly, the first installment of the 2020 property tax is due March 31.
“We think that the bigger impact will be on people being in a financial position to pay their second installment in August,” she said. The final tax bill for the year is due on August 31, 2020, and Terziano said the subject may be revisited by council closer to that date.
She said the forms to come up with a payment plan for those in arrears, which has to be approved by the municipality, are still available to property owners, whether there is an emergency or not.
Terziano added that taxes can be paid online and there is a drop box available at Town Hall.
In January Huntsville council passed an estimated $16.2 million budget for 2020, which represents a tax-supported levy increase of 8.64 per cent from 2019. Once assessment growth has been factored in the increase represents a tax hike of 2.86 per cent. See the chart below for the general tax impact for 2020.
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Not an opinion either way, but another option….
Pay your taxes monthly, I always have, it automatically comes out of my bank account on the 1st of each month. No huge tax bill twice a year to worry about.
I agree with Heather and Rob
I know several young people that had to close their business and others who have lost their jobs. Couples that have no more income and are wondering why their taxes can’t be deferred like other towns to reduce their financial strain during these tough times
Rather than making residents leave their homes to go to town hall to pay their taxes, Council members could pick up the cheques or simply defer the due date.
Ditto: Extremely well expressed. If large cities like Toronto, Mississauga, and Ottawa can postpone their respective deadlines by two months; it does make us look rather self-important to hold the line on tax collection. It is no secret that Town staff are generously remunerated (including a superb benefit package). They are in a far superior financial position than the majority of Huntsville taxpayers to have “put monies aside for a rainy day”. Most locals live from paycheque to paycheque; and with no money coming in, they have “to rely on the kindness of strangers”.
The Town should be no stranger to these friends and neighbours; but a generous friend.
I am not sure the logic of this decision.
We are a community with a lot of seasonal employment and employers who are just starting to anticipate money flowing.
With the lay-offs and closures that Covid-19 has implemented and the uncertainty of when things will start to open again how do you assume there is money available now.
And if there is money available now. Would it not be more pertinent for families to use it for expenses that can’t be deferred.
Is there any way to assess an individual’s needs and ability to pay.
I understand the town needs revenue to operate. But there are many local property owners who will be severely hit financially by the fallout of this pandemic .
By the time the payment interim due date arrives on March 31 we will have been in self isolation for three weeks.
Businesses have been closed. Resorts have closed. Restaurants have been reduced to take out only. Schools are closed Layoffs have begun.
Please reconsider