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Finance committee forwards ordinance to standardize tax due dates to June 5 and Dec. 5
Summary
Winchester City finance committee voted Nov. 6 to forward ordinances to the full council that would move the first semiannual due date for local real‑estate and personal‑property taxes to June 5 (keeping Dec. 5), a change staff says will reduce taxpayer confusion and improve collections.
The Winchester City Finance Committee voted to forward two companion ordinances to the full City Council that would standardize semiannual local tax due dates to June 5 and Dec. 5.
Deputy City Manager Mary Blow, who introduced the real‑estate change, said the city moved the June due date to June 20 in 2017 for internal budget reasons but that the later date has created confusion because many neighboring localities use June 5. "Most localities are June 5 and December 5," she said, arguing the earlier date would align Winchester with the state and nearby counties.
Jeff Hannes, speaking from a citizen perspective, described practical effects: "We get more traffic on June 5 because people, like Frederick County, of course Frederick County is June 5 and December 5," he said, noting taxpayers sometimes arrive expecting a June 5 deadline and then face late penalties when Winchester's first half had been June 20.
Staff said a forthcoming citizen portal and new billing software will allow residents to view bills online and make partial or scheduled payments, reducing the administrative burden that previously accompanied multiple, inconsistent due dates. Finance Director Celeste Broadstreet told the committee that shifting to June 5 would move the budget adoption timetable roughly two weeks earlier to give the Treasury time to prepare bills 30 days before they are due.
Committee members pressed staff on calendar alignment with the school division and on whether the new schedule would create cash‑flow problems for bond and debt service payments. Staff said bond and VRA payment dates are largely inflexible but that their historical analysis shows the city would remain able to meet payroll, accounts payable and debt service under the revised schedule.
A committee member moved to forward both ordinances with a recommendation for approval; the motions passed on voice votes recorded as unanimous. The ordinances will appear on the full council agenda for consideration.
