St. Clair County delaying property tax bills as relief from coronavirus economy
St. Clair County has announced it will delay mailing out property tax bills to provide residents some relief during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Real estate property tax bills that are usually sent out in May and collected in two installments in late June and August. The county announced Monday it will instead send mail them on June 15 in an effort to help those struggling financially due to the coronavirus.
“We understand the toll this pandemic has had on our community and hope this delay provides some relief to families and business owners who are struggling during this time,” said Andrew Lopinot, St. Clair County Treasurer. “Once we start collecting property taxes, my office will work expeditiously to distribute tax dollars to local authorities.”
First and second installment due dates are tentatively scheduled to be extended until July 30 and Sept. 30, Lopinot said, adding that the St. Clair County Board will vote on delaying the first installment penalty until Aug. 31.
As of Sunday, southwestern Illinois has reported 186 cases of coronavirus. At least 82 of them come from St. Clair County. A fourth person, an elderly woman from East St. Louis with a pre-existing health condition, died from the effects of the virus Sunday.
Unemployment claims, meanwhile, have skyrocketed nationally. The crush of applications have further delayed benefits to those who need them. In response, governments from the municipal to federal levels have offered some relief in the form of tax deferments.
The U.S. government moved the normal income tax deadline from April 15 to July 15. The state of Illinois followed suit days later by extending its deadline as well.
“County officials and department heads are working hard to ensure county government services are still provided to St. Clair County residents as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This action by Treasurer Lopinot and the St. Clair County Board will help provide additional assistance to property owners during this time,” said Mark Kern, St. Clair County Board chairman.
Treasurers in several other metro-east counties, including Monroe, Clinton and Randolph counties, said the topic of delaying property tax dispersal hadn’t come up yet because bills aren’t being sent out until later in the Fall.
This story was originally published April 6, 2020 at 12:33 PM.