The saga of the Real Estate Tax due date, the U.S. Post Office and the Polar Vortex

With the cold weather and no mail delivery, I have a question regarding Property Taxes being due Jan. 31. (Mine are paid.) If someone dropped them off at a post office box, is the post office picking the mail up and is it date stamped. Would the county delay the penalty if they don’t receive the payment without the post mark of January 31? With office closed Monday, they should offer an extra day.

City Hall has been open all week for tax collection.  The Finance Department is receipting tax payments at the counter today, January 31, until 4:30 p.m.  The drop box is located outside the front entrance of City Hall to drop off tax payments as well.  Finance will process all payments placed in the drop box between 4:30 p.m. and midnight on January 31 in the morning on February 1.  These payments are still considered timely.  The post office was open yesterday, Jan. 30, and today, Jan. 31.  The post office is just not delivering mail.  Residents can get their payment postmarked at the post office.  All tax payments postmarked January 31 will be receipted at City Hall through Monday, February 4.  Any payment dropped off at City Hall starting on Friday, February 1 will be stamped with the current date and delivered to Washington County to process.

Please contact the Department of Revenue for penalty questions at (608) 261-5360.

Carrie Winklbauer, CPA

Finance Administrator

City of West Bend Finance Department

They (U.S. Postal Service) will transport, sort and stamp all incoming mail and it will be placed in post boxes.   When we get the mail, we will check for dates.  It has to be postmarked by January, 31.