Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Tax Collection topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tax collector reports 97.65% levy collection through March; BET approves suspense list
Summary
Tax collector Lisa reported the city had collected 97.65% of the levy through March and $6.5 million in past‑due taxes for the fiscal year; the board approved placing long‑uncollectible accounts into suspense and noted the third‑party collection agency has recovered $1.3 million since 2022.
Lisa, the tax collector, updated the Board of Estimate and Taxation on May 5 on collection performance and the annual suspense list. She said the city had collected 97.65% of the levy through March and that the tax collector’s office recorded $6.5 million in past‑due collections for the fiscal year (net of credits and refunds).
Lisa explained that state assessment and billing timing can leave business personal property bills (assessed as of Oct. 1) outstanding even when a business closes later in the year; tax law does not prorate those bills. To conserve resources, the tax office asks the BET to approve moving long‑uncollectible accounts (primarily motor‑vehicle accounts) to suspense while retaining legal remedies and collection efforts. Lisa said the city’s third‑party collection vendor has recovered about $1.3 million in suspended motor‑vehicle accounts since 2022 and that motor vehicle taxes can be pursued for up to 15 years; cannabis tax receipts were noted at $257,000 since April of last year.
The BET approved the suspense list; auditors review the list before final administrative steps and the tax office will continue targeted collection and plate‑based enforcement where feasible.
