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Tax collector: December collections slightly behind, tax sale set for July 13; online payment provider to change
Summary
Tax collector Lisa reported collections through December (59.97% of levy collected) are slightly down from last year, a tax sale is scheduled for July 13 (initial letters sent to ~120 property owners), and the city is switching online payment providers to reduce processing fees.
Lisa, the tax collector, updated the Board of Estimate and Taxation on Jan. 12 about collections, the upcoming tax sale and changes to online payments.
Through December, Lisa said the city had collected 59.97% of the current receivable levy, 60.3% for sewer use and 75.27% for the industrial pretreatment program. She noted collections lagged slightly versus December 2024 because some bills went out later than planned, but she expected recovery through January and into February.
Lisa said the tax sale is scheduled for Monday, July 13; initial informational letters were sent to about 120 property owners after the Christmas holiday and the collector’s office has recovered close to $500,000 on those accounts. She explained the final sale list will be set after consultation with the CFO and budget director and after the January 2 collection cutoff; the tax‑sale process is intended to compel payment rather than to force sales in most cases.
On payments infrastructure, Lisa said the city council approved a change to the online payment provider in 2025 and the law department is finalizing contracts with the new vendor. She said the change negotiated a lower processing fee for credit/debit card payments while preserving existing online and phone payment options.
Board members asked about cannabis tax receipts and Lisa said the city collects about $30,000 per month from the three Norwalk cannabis locations; those receipts are tracked in a separate fund and earmarked for specific uses such as solid‑waste mitigation efforts.
Next steps: the tax collector will finalize the list for the July tax sale after coordination with the CFO and budget office; the collector’s office will implement the new online payment provider once contracts are executed.
