About 97 percent of property owners in Clallam and Jefferson counties paid their property taxes by Wednesday, and the county treasurers in each area expect to end the year with a tax delinquency of 1 or 2 percent.
“I think we’re good,” said Clallam County Treasurer Judy Scott, when asked to compare Clallam to other counties.
“We collected on a lot of prior years, also.
“Typically, we have a 98 to 99 percent collecting rate,” said Scott.
More than 97 percent of Jefferson County property owners had paid their property taxes as of Wednesday.
Jefferson County Treasurer Judi Morris expects to end the year with a 1 percent tax delinquency.
“We have a very conscientious group of taxpayers here,” said Morris.
“Maybe it’s because we have so many senior citizens, but we usually get around 99 percent of what is owed.”
Morris said she expects to reach the 99 percent threshold by Jan. 1.
“Some other counties only get 96 percent,” she said.
Interest, late fees
Taxpayers are required to pay at least half of the property tax bill by April 30 and the full amount by Oct. 31 to avoid interest and penalties.
Those who didn’t pay their taxes by the Oct. 31 deadline had an incentive to pay before Dec. 1, which was Wednesday, when the interest and late fees increased.
The interest for delinquent taxes jumped from 1 percent to 2 percent and an 8 percent penalty was imposed Wednesday.
The Clallam County Treasurer’s Office sent out notes to delinquent property owners in November about the incentive to pay by the first of December.
As of Nov. 30, $299,536, or 3.31 percent, of the total $9,066,267 tax expected had not been collected.
“This is based on 59,325 parcels,” Scott said.
Scott said a new computer system in the Clallam County Treasurer’s Office shifted November’s mortgage imports to October, which increased on-time tax collections.
In Jefferson County, as of Thursday, 4.2 percent, or $1.8 million, of the $42.8 million of total tax expected had not been collected, Morris said.
“One of the reasons our percentages are so high is that we are one of the only counties that still sends out delinquent notices, which we may have to stop doing because of budget cutbacks,” Morris said.
The only increments accepted are one half of the bill or the whole thing at once.
Neither Clallam County nor Jefferson County has a program for paying in smaller increments.
Jefferson Morris said individual county treasurers have the option to set up smaller payment increments, but with a monthly fee.
Morris has declined to do this because it ends up causing the taxpayer more money.
Foreclosure auctions
Clallam County reached a milestone two years ago when no properties were sold at foreclosure because of delinquent taxes.
“My goal was to have a year when we didn’t have any sold,” Scott said.
The next Clallam County foreclosure auction is Friday at 9 a.m. in the commissioners’ board room (160) at the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.
Five properties are up for sale. The minimum bid range is from $1,059 to $6,481.
To view the listing, visit the Clallam County Treasurer’s Office website at www.clallam.net.
In Jefferson County, 20 foreclosed properties will be auctioned off at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 14, at the Jefferson County Courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St., with minimum bids ranging from $1,429.48 to $5,297.97.
For a detailed list of the properties with all the information available to the county, go to www.co.jefferson.wa.us/treasurer/TaxForeclosure.asp.0.
