Tax collection exceeds $101.4M

staff report

YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County Treasurer’s Office reported it has received more than $101.4 million in real estate taxes for the first-half collection that ended March 14.

The total is down slightly from about $102 million collected for the first half a year ago, said county Treasurer Lisa A. Antonini.

The decline is attributable to new state legislation that made more people eligible for senior citizen homestead exemptions by removing income eligibility ceilings for those exemptions, Antonini said.

Antonini also said she is launching a new effort to collect late real estate taxes by sending letters immediately to almost 6,000 property owners who haven’t paid their first half taxes this year. “This is a kind courtesy notice,” she said. The letters advise recipients that a 10 percent late-payment penalty has been added to their bills.

“They can get on a payment plan or come see us and make the payment so that they don’t get too far behind,” Antonini said, adding that property owners should get the letters in the next few days.

Previously, she said those owing for the first half wouldn’t be notified until they’d get their second-half tax bills in July, when they’d owe both first- and second-half taxes. “That might be an overwhelming amount for someone to pay,” she observed.