Osoyoos resident Theresa Toepfer (left) visited Town Hall with her daughters Bailey and Caitlyn to pay her taxes to receptionist Kathy Fichter on July 2. Photo by Laurena Weninger
OSOYOOS TIMES-July 8, 2009
By Laurena Weninger – Osoyoos Times
This year, 241 Osoyoos property owners didn’t pay their taxes on time.
“We collected 93.24 per cent of the total taxes,” said Jim Zakall, Osoyoos’s finance director, on July 3, the day after the municipal tax deadline.
That is up .17 per cent over those paid on time last year, but a .84 per cent decrease of the average calculated over the last five years.
Municipal taxes were due on July 2 and there was a line-up – albeit a short one – off and on throughout the last week.
“Staff needs to be commended for the work that they did,” Zakall said, adding staff in the front office kept the line moving smoothly during the last-minute rush.
While people could come in and pay their property taxes any time, 41 per cent either came in at the last minute or paid by post-dated cheque.
Those who didn’t pay by July 2 had a 10 per cent penalty tacked on to their tax bill, effective July 3.
Those who have outstanding payments now have until Dec. 31 until the next penalty hits: that is when the property owners who haven’t paid are marked as being in arrears and interest is added to the bill. One more year of non-payment and they move into the delinquent stage and are subject to tax sale.
Right now, there are 31 owners in arrears for their 2008 taxes and eight who are in the delinquent stage from the 2007 tax season.
If those eight haven’t paid by September they are subject to tax sale.
Those who are unable to pay can apply for a provincial program called the Financial Hardship Property Tax Deferment Program, but penalties must still be paid.
Under the program, those who have equity in their homes can apply for a low-interest loan to help them make the payment.
The deferred taxes will not have to be paid back to the province until the homeowner sells their home or makes a registered change to ownership other than to a surviving spouse.
However, the deferred balance owing may be paid back earlier without penalty.
For more information, check out www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/individuals/Property_Taxes/Property_Tax_Deferment/ptd.htm or call 1-800-663-7867.
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