The deadline to submit property tax payments without penalty remains April 10, a seemingly reluctant Alameda County Treasurer-Tax Collector Henry C. Levy said in an advisory on Friday that reminded residents only the state can legally change the due date.
While federal and state officials have moved the income tax submission deadline from April 15 to July 15, the California Legislature has not moved to adjust the due date for the second installment of 2019-20 state property tax payments amid the novel coronavirus crisis.
"We have received many requests to delay the payment deadline. Unfortunately, this is not under my, or the county’s authority and can only be changed by the State Legislature. The deadline for the second installment remains as April 10," Levy said on Friday afternoon.
So, Levy said, he and his staff remain ready to collect and process still-pending payments in the coming weeks -- although those payments will have to be made remotely because his department's offices in Oakland and Hayward are closed to the public due to state and county shelter-in-place orders.
"Our office understands the great difficulty with payments at this time due to layoffs and business closures," he said. "We will review all requests for removal of penalties beginning on April 13th. Please remember that property taxes are a vital source of income for cities, counties and schools, which must continue to be funded."
A professional association representing Levy and others in his position statewide recently issued a statement with similar sentiments.
"We understand and share the public’s anxiety and concern about the impacts of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic," said officials with the California Association of County Treasurers and Tax Collectors.
"While we cannot change the April 10 deadline for the second installment of property taxes because critical county services, school and local financial obligations are dependent on those scheduled revenues, we can waive penalties, costs or other charges resulting from tax delinquency due to reasonable cause and circumstances related to this crisis," they added.
The Alameda County Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office closure began on Friday (March 20) and will run until at least April 7.
That status means all normal services are available, except in-person payments. "We will continue to accept online, phone and mail-in payments. Our paramount concern is to protect the health of the public and our employees," Levy said.
Options to submit payments include mailing in a check (postmarked by April 10), paying online either by e-check (no fee) or by credit card (2.5% fee) through the county website or paying by the phone system at 510-272-6800.
For questions, Levy urges residents to call 510-272-6800 or email [email protected] The Treasurer-Tax Collector Office website is https://treasurer.acgov.org/index.page. To keep up-to-date on other county services, visit https://www.acgov.org/, where there are online services available 24/7.
Comments
Foothill Place
on Mar 24, 2020 at 9:27 am
on Mar 24, 2020 at 9:27 am
God forbid this Governor and legislators provide real relief and postpone the deadline. Typical all talk and no action, other than having their greedy hands out to grab your money. Many people out of work, struggling to even provide the basics and the addition of this burden is unforgivable. They should be ashamed of themselves.
They have no problem creating this blanket shelter in place, where we can face a misdemeanor for daring to walk around, yet when it comes to something as equally important, because it involves money - all bets are off.
Stoneridge Park
on Mar 24, 2020 at 11:10 am
on Mar 24, 2020 at 11:10 am
Not only the state should extend the date for property taxes, I expect State to do its job to alleviate the current situation. Governor Newsom should consider;
1. Lowering State Tax on fuel/Gasoline
2. Reduce Property Tax
3. Alameda County should reduce Sales Tax Rate, which is the highest in the region.
Pleasanton Meadows
on Mar 24, 2020 at 12:10 pm
on Mar 24, 2020 at 12:10 pm
Cant suspend property tax that was already paid prior to December 31, 2019!
Foothill Place
on Mar 24, 2020 at 12:45 pm
on Mar 24, 2020 at 12:45 pm
Michael-
Very true, however on the other hand we weren’t in this situation prior to December 31, 2019 either.
Vintage Hills
on Mar 24, 2020 at 1:18 pm
on Mar 24, 2020 at 1:18 pm
So, the payment was due February 1 and the delinquent date is April 10. Also, with people unable to go about their usual business and purchase much of anything, isn’t the state going to see a drop in sales tax revenue? And the state income tax payments are delayed.
So, just how is the state going to help anybody without the funds? I can see certain people having a time delay (those who are in very small businesses that can’t collect unemployment, for example), assuming they even own property.
Carriage Gardens
on Mar 24, 2020 at 3:26 pm
on Mar 24, 2020 at 3:26 pm
Since the State, County and local governments have forced an upcoming economic crisis upon the citizens to help combat the Covid19 spread, when will we see corresponding sacrificial moves from the government? Such as: lowering or eliminating county property tax payments, lowering state income taxes/fees or lowering county/state/local sales taxes/fees.
Downtown
on Mar 24, 2020 at 3:47 pm
on Mar 24, 2020 at 3:47 pm
Aren’t we heavily dependent upon gains from the stock market for our pensions?
Birdland
on Mar 24, 2020 at 3:57 pm
on Mar 24, 2020 at 3:57 pm
Pensions?
Who on private industry has a pension?
For government worker pensions, taxpayers pay for them whether the stock market goes up or down. We are on the hook regardless.
Downtown
on Mar 24, 2020 at 6:07 pm
on Mar 24, 2020 at 6:07 pm
@Karl,
You sure about that? I thought that the government needed an annual 7%-10% return in order to keep up with pension obligations? Maybe I’m wrong but I thought there was some exposure.
Birdland
on Mar 24, 2020 at 6:31 pm
on Mar 24, 2020 at 6:31 pm
Pete
My point is if they assume a certain return, say 7%, and don’t get that high a return, they still get their same pension. Taxpayers have to make up the difference. That’s been the issue with CA government pensions. They have assumed a higher return that they should have, so pensions are under funded. Sine pensions can’t be reduced, taxpayers end of paying more thru increased taxes or reduced government services
A little different than the situation people who rely on 401K plans. If we lose money, like the $300K I’ve lost the last two weeks, we either have to work longer to save more or retire with less money to live on.
I’m not complaining- it’s just the way it is.
I sometimes kick myself for not accepting s government job offer I got 35 years ago. I could be retired and not have to worry about how this virus is impacting me.
But I am glad I went into the private sector because it turned out to be s much more challenging and exciting work experience. I would have found government work tedious, stifling and mind numbing. nothing against government workers- government work isn’t for everyone .
Pleasanton Meadows
on Mar 24, 2020 at 9:39 pm
on Mar 24, 2020 at 9:39 pm
.....again, government has no problem shutting the economy down when taxpayers are going to foot the bill regardless .
Why don’t we tax all political campaign funds, pacs, and super pacs, politicians book deals, and speaking events to pay for this?
Stoneridge
on Mar 25, 2020 at 12:33 am
on Mar 25, 2020 at 12:33 am
Real simple, don't pay it now!
Downtown
on Mar 25, 2020 at 8:25 am
on Mar 25, 2020 at 8:25 am
I think this Flu is a fraud and we are being sold a bill of goods by the media.
Downtown
on Mar 25, 2020 at 10:31 am
on Mar 25, 2020 at 10:31 am
@Pete wrote "I think this Flu is a fraud and we are being sold a bill of goods by the media."
That reminds me: Has everyone seen the video clip of multiple Fox News anchors and personalities flip-flopping over the coronavirus health crisis? See multiple Fox News anchors and personalities making fools of themselves in "before" and "after" comparisons of themselves ranting about coronavirus:
"How Fox News has shifted its coronavirus rhetoric": Web Link
- - - -
Birdland
on Mar 25, 2020 at 10:38 am
on Mar 25, 2020 at 10:38 am
Why would the state give any tax paying citizen a break? Gavin needs the money to pay for the illegals- end of story!
Downtown
on Mar 25, 2020 at 1:40 pm
on Mar 25, 2020 at 1:40 pm
@wombat,
Don’t put words in my mouth nor use me for one of your odd rants. I was only saying based upon my observations that at a death rate of 1.3% of cases TESTED that this might overblown and a fraud. I suspect but don’t know for sure that more people have than we know about because they have not been tested. Therefore the 1.3% would be even lower. Normal flu kills at a rate of 1.2% for reference.
Downtown
on Mar 25, 2020 at 2:03 pm
on Mar 25, 2020 at 2:03 pm
Pete wrote " Normal flu kills at a rate of 1.2% for reference."
No, the overall mortality rate of the common flu is NOT 1.2%. It's nowhere near 1.2%. You're over a factor of 10 too high.
Vintage Hills
on Mar 25, 2020 at 2:15 pm
on Mar 25, 2020 at 2:15 pm
From The Chronicle: 1:08 p.m. Gov. Newsom announces mortgage grace period. The governor tweeted Wednesday: “Families should not lose their homes because of COVID-19. Very pleased that Wells Fargo, Citi, JPMorgan, and US Bank have agreed to a 90 day grace period for mortgage payments for those impacted by #COVID19.A big sigh of relief for millions of CA families.”
Carriage Gardens
on Mar 26, 2020 at 9:07 am
on Mar 26, 2020 at 9:07 am
Great to see private industry stepping up to help people regarding potential financial problems (offset mortgage payments). Even the Feds extended this year's filing (taxes) deadline. When will state, county and local govts step up and help ease the suffering: lower sales taxes, lower income taxes, lower property taxes etc..? Even a ten percent across the board cut on all taxes/fees collected by these entities would help.
Livermore
on Apr 1, 2020 at 12:17 pm
on Apr 1, 2020 at 12:17 pm
Look, these property taxes are among the highest in the country. Then you have a President that's hell bent on punishing CA and NY, by limiting the prop tax deductions. Now, we are all dealing with the impact of SARS-COV-2. I think the State needs to either reduce the property tax valuation, or not increase it this year! It's the least they can do to protect the home owners!!
Foothill Farms
on Apr 1, 2020 at 12:34 pm
on Apr 1, 2020 at 12:34 pm
Sure am glad I’m covered by Prop 13.
Too bad for the rest of you rich people.
Pay your taxes to support your progressive government and quit complaining.
This help the government is providing is for people in real need, not the crybaby rich people of Pleasanton and Livermore
another community
on Apr 22, 2020 at 12:59 pm
on Apr 22, 2020 at 12:59 pm
I understand questioning the stats on COVID-19 and the media, etc. But wasting time on it is a little ridiculous. The threat is in fact real... and we all have more important things to get upset about. Also, it seems a lot of people in California don't fully get Prop 13, and don't understand Proposition 58 at all... And are fooled by the political nonsense pushing the theory that only rich people can take advantage of Proposition 13, parent to child transfer or property inherited from parents - parent to child exclusion, as they call it, etc.
Let's get it straight. More middle and upper middle class people have taken advantage of Proposition 13 than rich folks, in aggregate numbers - Prop 13 and Prop 58 - avoiding property tax reassessment, enjoying the ability keep parents property taxes, to transfer parents property taxes. There are more middle class folks inheriting property from parents, inheriting property taxes obviously... in California, than millionaires. Hence, a lot more middle class and upper middle class people have been renting out property they have inherited from their parents... It's partially anecdotal evidence, from info researched in 57 counties other than Los Angeles county - speaking to people who lived in those counties, plus researching Web Link the BOE official site... Plus non-biased Websites such as https://propertytaxtransfertrusts.com or hard nosed business sites that focus heavily on Proposition 58 and trust loans from trust lenders, to equalize liquidation provided to beneficiaries involved in estate conflicts as to whom will keep a property versus selling it as some beneficiaries prefer, like Web Link Etc, etc... but the main point is this issue of inheriting property and renting it out as a rich family vocation and not a middle class one - and I don't believe this is entirely accurate. I know it's a popular thing to believe, after looking at one county, in LA... But when you look at California as a whole you see that Proposition 13 and property tax relief in general in California is a middle class, normal tax shelter for everyone. Not just rich people!
another community
on Apr 22, 2020 at 1:22 pm
on Apr 22, 2020 at 1:22 pm
Also, for the people inheriting property that don't understand Proposition 13 or Proposition 58 either, I should add another debunk of yet another myth out there claiming that not only are these tax shelters only for the rich - all those supposed rich people enjoying tax breaks like this are also ALL renting out inherited property and making a fortune doing it. Not true. These anti tax break folks mention the Bridges family as The Example and the only example. In fact, many middle class & upper middle class people do this, and in fact not all that many when you add up all the folks inheriting property in all 58 counties, not just Los Angeles, where yes a lot of rich people live, fine.
Secondly, the younger people inheriting property in California need to understand what Proposition 13 is really all about, in simple terms. Not get hung up on the legal details... let the lawyers worry about that! Plus learn how to use Proposition 58 and a trust loan for inheriting property and property tax transfer... in other words, inheriting property taxes, Prop 13 and Prop 58 are simply about avoiding property tax reassessment, enjoying the ability keep parents property taxes, to transfer parents property taxes. There are more middle class folks inheriting property from parents, and inheriting property taxes obviously... in California, than millionaires. Hence, a lot more middle class and upper middle class people have been renting out property they have inherited from their parents... It's partially anecdotal evidence, from info researched in 57 counties other than Los Angeles county - speaking to people who lived in those counties. Do some research to see for yourself how this works statewide - Web Link the BOE official site... Plus I suggest you take a look at informational non-biased Websites such as https://propertytaxtransfertrusts.com or hard nosed business sites that focus heavily on Proposition 58 and trust loans from trust lenders, to equalize liquidation provided to beneficiaries involved in estate conflicts as to whom will keep a property versus selling it as some beneficiaries prefer, like Web Link Etc, etc... but the main point is this issue of inheriting property and renting it out. This really is not a wealthy family vocation. If anything it's middle class, and frankly it's an exaggerated claim to say this happens all the time in California. It doesn't.
Avignon
on Apr 24, 2020 at 4:18 am
on Apr 24, 2020 at 4:18 am
California has more middle-class people inheriting property from their parents, who obviously inherit property taxes ... than millionaires. Web Link Consequently, far more representatives of the middle class and the upper middle class rent property that they inherited from their parents ...