11192014 - News Article - Portage mayor claims late taxes a 'misunderstanding'

Portage mayor claims late taxes a 'misunderstanding'
NWI Times
November 19, 2014
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/portage/portage-mayor-claims-late-taxes-a-misunderstanding/article_0fdbeefa-4e84-567d-831f-3bc19b5b4a9e.html

PORTAGE | Portage Mayor James Snyder said Wednesday he's taking action to make sure he pays his property tax on time in the future.

Snyder owes $1,827 in taxes and penalties on his family's home. He and his wife own a home on Laurel Street as well, but records indicate taxes are paid through a mortgage company and have been paid in full.

"I believe the payment on our Austin property is currently nine days late and the payment is in the mail and will be current as it is on our Laurel property," Snyder wrote in an email.

His property taxes were due Nov. 10.

"We have also paid the penalties and interest due without any questions," his Wednesday email states. "We intend to sign up for escrows automatically deducted from our checking so that we don’t have this problem or misunderstanding in the future as we understand we are held to a higher standard as public officials."

He didn't offer an explanation as to why he didn't pay his taxes on time last week.

It isn't the first time he's missed paying property taxes on time.
According to public records, Snyder ended 2011 owing $1,596 in taxes and penalties. He didn't make a payment until Aug. 14, 2012, indicating he didn't pay either the spring or fall tax installments on time that year, ending 2012 with a $1,777 debit to the county on his Austin Street property.

He took office in 2012.

In 2013, he made two payments to the county, one in January and a second in May. He missed the November deadline and ended the year owing $1,676 in taxes and penalties.

His tax bill, according to the records, entering 2014 rose to $5,327. His only payment of $3,500 was made Aug. 22, 2014, leaving the current balance.

Matt Baker, Porter County chief deputy treasurer, said taxpayers are considered delinquent if they do not pay their installments by the deadline. Once the deadline passes, they pay a 5 percent penalty for 30 days if they have no prior delinquencies. If they have previous delinquencies or they past 30 days, an additional 5 percent is assessed on the tax owed.

After three consecutive installments go unpaid, a property can go up for tax sale.

In addition, there is a state law allowing a government employee's wages to be garnished if they fail to pay their property taxes. The county treasurer's office is required to inform the government entity and the employee's wages can be garnished to pay the back taxes, Baker said.

However, he added, past practice has allowed the garnishment to be bypassed if the employee shows some kind of effort to pay the tax bill.