Calvert County officials say tax bills mailed after system errors; commissioners vote to consolidate billing under treasurer

Calvert County officials told the Board of County Commissioners on Nov. 2 that about 41,000 real-property tax bills were delayed this year after a software upgrade and printing/mailing vendor problems, and the board voted to consolidate tax-billing responsibilities within the treasurer’s office ahead of the next tax cycle.

County Administrator Linda Turner and county staff described a multistep failure that began after Calvert received a State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) report on July 3. Turner said the county uploaded the data into a newly upgraded tax-billing system in July and immediately began receiving error codes that required vendor intervention. Printing files were repeatedly returned by the mailing vendor, staff said, which added to delays in getting bills into the mail. Printed bills were mailed the week of Aug. 25 after bills were made available online in mid-August.

The treasurer’s office told the board the county received federal and state grants for other projects and that the tax-billing work itself was a large logistical task. “We are thrilled to let you all know that all of the property tax bills have been mailed,” the treasurer said during the presentation. County Administrator Linda Turner and treasurer staff acknowledged delays and apologized for an erroneous insert that was included in some mailed bills; staff said corrected material is available at the treasurer’s office and online.

Why it matters: The tax payment deadline remains September 30 under state law, and several speakers told the board that residents need time to adjust when reassessments produce large bills. Officials also said the appearance of late or duplicated bills on social media created confusion that county staff had to address.

Key details and timeline: County staff said the SDAT data arrived July 3 and processing began July 7; bills were made available online in mid-August and mailed the week of Aug. 25. Officials estimated about 41,000 bills were issued. The county reported three principal sources of delay: (1) error codes from a recently installed tax-billing system; (2) the vendor responsible for printing and mailing failing to meet service-level agreements and returning files as undeliverable; and (3) an erroneous insert that was later corrected. Linda Turner said the county has debriefed teams, created a timeline targeting a July 31, 2026 mail date for next year, and will implement process changes and new vendor procurement.

Board action: At the meeting, the board voted to move the county’s tax-billing process "from cradle to grave" under the treasurer’s office and to implement the change before the next tax cycle. The motion was seconded and carried. Commissioners also directed staff to issue a new procurement for printing and mailing services.

What officials will do next: Staff said they will (a) reissue procurement for a printing/mailing vendor; (b) implement internal practice steps with the new tax-billing system to surface errors earlier; (c) target a July 31, 2026 mail date; and (d) provide continued phone and in-person support to taxpayers who need copies or help paying online. Turner said the county will publish guidance on homestead tax credits and the state appeals window for property owners who believe assessments are incorrect.

Context: Officials noted that some bill increases reflect state-led reassessments from SDAT and not a change in the local tax rate. Turner said reassessments in Calvert are phased over three years in many areas, which can cause staggered increases in successive tax years.

Ending: Commissioners endorsed the administrative consolidation and a plan to change vendors; staff promised follow-up reports and more robust public communications ahead of the next tax cycle.