If you haven’t yet paid your property taxes, you’re in luck. Weld County Commissioners hash out plan for late payments

By Kelly Ragan

Thanks to a move by the Weld County Board of Commissioners, folks across the county will get some relief on their property tax payments.  

On Monday, the board voted to temporarily defer delinquent interest payments on property taxes.

Commissioners took the plan to Gov. Jared Polis back in March in an effort to offer financial relief to the community.

On Sunday, Polis signed HB 20-1421 into law. It essentially gave county commissioners and city councils across the state permission – with approval from their treasurer – the ability to defer interest payments on delinquent taxes so long as the taxes are paid by Oct. 1, according to a news release from the county. Many property owners – both residential and commercial – paid the first half of their property taxes in April. The second half, if still unpaid, were due June 15.

In an interview with the NoCo Optimist, Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer (who is also running for state senator), said they had the idea more than 14 weeks ago. Since then commissioners worked with local municipalitiesand school districts, which receive income from property taxes, to hash out a plan.

The oil and gas downturn, along with the coronavirus shutdown, led commissioners to brainstorm ways to help.

“I was approached by folks in the oil and gas industry in regard to what they could do about delinquent tax,” Kirkmeyer said.

Kirkmeyer said the goal wasn’t to give folks a way out of paying the taxes they owe – but the move could cut people a break in fees.

“We reduced the interest down to 1/12 of one percent per month,” Kirkmeyer said. “That’s a big deal when you start talking about 6% or 12% interest on a late payment.”

It might help during a time when people might be choosing between putting food on the table or trying to pay their property taxes, she said.

“We’re trying to relieve that burden, at least for a little while,” Kirkmeyer said.

In a news release, Commissioner Kevin Ross said the move might help some businesses continue to prioritize paying staff or taking care of other necessary expenses without working about a late penalty.

“As a small business owner myself, I know that would be very helpful given the state’s current circumstances,” Ross said in the release.

Do you have questions about your property taxes?

If you’re confused about your property taxes, the Weld County Treasurer’s office can help answer questions. You can contact the office by phone at (970) 400-3290 or by email at treasurer@weldgov.com. For more information, go to https://www.weldgov.com/departments/treasurer.

(P.s. to all the procrastinators out there: Your income taxes are due July 15. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.)