Most village property taxes paid

Village property owners have been fulfilling their obligations sooner than expected, officials said.

SAUGERTIES, N.Y. » Village property owners have been fulfilling their obligations sooner than expected, officials said.

An update was provided during a Village Board video conference meeting Monday, with Treasurer Paula Kerbert noting that about 95 percent of about 1,400 property tax bills have been paid in advance of the Dec. 31 deadline.

“We are way ahead of last year,” she said. “Usually by now we still have about 30 percent left to catch up and pay.”

After the impact of COVID-19 became apparent earlier this year, trustees agreed to allow tax bills to be paid under flexible plans that allow varying monthly dates. That resulted in 17 payment plans, of which all but two amounting to $2,003 have been paid in full.

“The people really pulled through,” Kerbert said. “I’m very, very happy with all of them.”

Overall, the village has a $1.78 million property tax levy for 2020-21.

Officials note that it is important to have tax bills paid for villages because unlike towns and school districts, there is no Ulster County program to make the municipal whole. County officials do not take over collection responsibilities of unpaid village property tax levies.

The same approach was taken with 1,487 water and sewer bills in March and

June, with late fees waived entirely, with the September bills deadline extend for an additional 17 days without a late fee.

Officials are tracking COVID-19 cases to determine whether to waive late fees that would ordinarily be added after the Jan. 4 deadline.