Resident questions partial property tax payments; county administrator explains statutory limits

During the public-comment portion of the Allegany County Board of Legislators’ April 23 meeting, resident Scott Lewis Sr. pressed the board about the county treasurer’s refusal to accept partial payments toward property tax bills.

“I don't understand why we can't come in and pay partial payments,” Lewis said, describing attempts to make smaller periodic payments on a large tax bill and arguing that elderly and fixed‑income residents need flexibility.

County Administrator (title used in the meeting) responded that the county treasurer cannot accept partial payments under current state statute, but added that the statute permits partial payments if the county adopts a local resolution or local law authorizing acceptance. The administrator said the board has debated allowing partial payments several times over the past five to seven years but cited operational concerns.

Officials listed complications with a partial-payment regime: the county’s collections are coordinated through towns (which collect January–March), differing local opt‑ins could create many payment-plan variants, school districts and other units use lockboxes that do not accept partial remittances, and partial payments could create cash‑flow issues for making other units whole. The administrator said the county makes schools and villages whole — a figure he recalled as roughly $3,600,000 — and added that about 33,000 parcels exist in the county and roughly 75 parcels go to tax sale in a typical year (about 0.002% of parcels), which has informed past debates.

The administrator concluded that adopting a countywide partial‑payment program would require extensive coordination with towns, schools and vendors and advance planning; the board took no formal action during the meeting.

No motion or resolution followed the public comment; the item remained a request for information and discussion.