Adams County property taxes still due April 30

RITZVILLE — Adams County residents are still required to pay their property taxes by April 30. The treasurer’s office will provide what Treasurer Kayla Meise called “measured relief” to property owners who have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The county will waive penalties and fees for qualifying property owners who can’t pay by April 30, and Meise said she will work with people to make payment plans. Applicants will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

People whose jobs or businesses are not affected by the outbreak are not eligible and must pay by April 30.

Meise said Adams County is a sparsely populated county and as a result has less in financial reserve than some more populated counties.

Adams County and its hospital districts, school districts, fire districts and other entities, called junior taxing districts, depend on property tax revenue to meet their obligations. If Adams County or a junior taxing district has issued bonds to pay for a project or equipment, the only way to pay the money owed is through property tax revenues. Typically bond payments are due June 1.

Meise said she’s trying to balance the need to help people whose jobs or businesses have been affected by the outbreak and the responsibility of the county and junior taxing districts to pay their bills.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].