The Wrangell Borough Assembly voted Tuesday to make 2015 a transitional year for the new property tax due date.
Property taxes were formerly due in two payments each year: the first half by Aug. 15, and the second half by Dec. 15. This year, the assembly voted to switch to a once-a-year payment due by Sept. 15.
The assembly decided to give residents more time to adjust by keeping the two-payment plan in place for 2015. The temporary ordinance makes the first half of this year’s property taxes due Sept. 15. The second half is due Dec. 15, as it was in the past.
But the assembly also decided to reconsider the new Sept. 15 property tax due date.
“In the letters that were submitted to us, a couple of folks brought up the issue of Oct. 15 as a date,” Assembly Member Julie Decker said. “The people in town who were suggesting that was because they thought it would make it a lot easier for folks who had received their Permanent Fund Dividend to pay taxes.”
Although the ordinance changing the date to September was passed earlier this year, the assembly will take up the issue again at its next meeting.
As it stands, the new once-a-year Sept. 15 due date will go into effect in 2016.
