Given the option of paying their property tax first installments late without penalties, will LaSalle County property owners hold out even if they don’t have to? The county will find out this summer. A LaSalle County Board vote Thursday allows property owners to pay installment one late, as long as they pay everything in full by the installment two due date.
Charles Borchsenius
Sheridan Republican Charles Borchsenius thinks about half the amounts due will come in by the July due date like normal.
But if the approximately $100 million due in installment one is down a lot, the county and numerous other governments waiting for money will get less of it until it’s all in. Lostant Republican Randy Freeman and LaSalle Democrat Mike Kasap predict that kind of problem.
Brian Dose
Based on recent years’ payments, the LaSalle County Treasurer’s Office says the late penalties between installments one and two should amount to $68,000. Ottawa Democrat Brian Dose says the county’s financial troubles aren’t so bad that it can’t afford to forgo that amount. Besides, government shut down businesses and put regular folks in financial straits. He feels government should help them manage.
Randy Freeman
Freeman says it’s not the $68,000 the county should worry about. He says it’s the crunch the county will face when people pay late just because they can. However, he ultimately voted for the resolution.
Treasurer Jim Spelich believes tax bills will go out around the middle of next month. The first installment date would then be mid-July with the second installment due date being in September.
How they voted:
Board members Curtis Faber and Tom Walsh voted against the resolution.
Kindra Pottinger, Robert Lee, and Timothy Geary weren’t present.
All other members voted yes.