By Caitlin Froom
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
The Baltimore City Council Ways and Means Committee voted on Tuesday in favor of amending a bill that will offer eligible residents the option to pay property taxes in monthly installments.
Residents currently pay property taxes twice a year. With the amended bill, residents who qualify would be given flexibility in their payments by putting down money in advance rather than in arrears.
“It’s designed to help people pay their property taxes a lot easier and over time,” said Councilmember Odette Ramos, D-District 14, a member of the committee who was a sponsor of the bill.
The legislation, Ramos said, is intended to benefit “those who don’t have a mortgage.” Owners who rent out their property will not be eligible to participate.
The bill will act as an expansion of a current City Council program known as the Future Tax Savings Program.
“This proposed legislation will expand the Future Tax Savings Program by setting a schedule that will allow for monthly installments in advance of the issuance of the July tax bills each year,” Chief Financial Officer Henry Raymond said.
The Department of Finance predicted that approval of the bill would produce higher revenue by giving homeowners the flexibility to pay monthly rather than every six months, Ramos said.
“What’s envisioned is a robust application that citizens will be able to access online where they will be able to make their monthly payments,” Raymond said. “They would be able to see what their outstanding balances are, they would be able to see how much has been paid to date, and it would also have essentially a payment calculator.”
Six votes on the Ways and Means Committee moves the amended bill to the full City Council. If approved by the council and signed by the mayor, the bill would go into effect Jan. 1, 2023.