After changing the borough’s property tax due date earlier this year, the Wrangell Borough Assembly is trying to give property owners one year to adjust to the change.
Property taxes were formerly due in two payments each year. The first half was due by Aug. 15, and the second half was due by Dec. 15. This year, the assembly voted to switch to a once-a-year payment due by Sept. 15.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Assembly Member Becky Rooney said some people are not prepared for the change.
“I got a lot of comments about it, that it was a surprise,” Rooney said. “People felt that they didn’t have a whole year to plan for it.”
The assembly proposed giving people more time to adjust by keeping the two-payment plan in place this year. If this temporary ordinance is passed next month, it would make the first half of this year’s property taxes due Sept. 15. And the second half would be due Dec. 15, as it was in the past.
The new once-a-year Sept. 15 payment date would go into effect in 2016.
This measure will go to a first reading in early August, and there will likely be a public hearing and second reading in late August.
