Treasurer’s Office Says Error Won’t Cost Taxpayers

The Kosciusko County treasurer’s error in advertising the correct due date for fall property taxes online will not result in late fees for some taxpayers. A news release sent out Tuesday afternoon by Treasurer Rhonda Helser reads: “Due to an error with the property tax online payment site, which resulted in the fall 2019 property tax due date being indicated as Nov. 13, 2019, instead of the correct date of Nov. 12, 2019, some taxpayers may have been confused as to the actual due date. Accordingly, the Treasurer’s Office is willing to consider waiver of late payment penalties for taxpayers who paid their fall 2019 property tax bill on Nov. 13, 2019, because they were confused by the due date indicated on the website. Such taxpayers should contact the Kosciusko County Treasurer’s Office at 574-372-2370 on or before Dec. 31, 2019, to discuss waiver of the property tax late payment penalties.” A concerned taxpayer alerted the Times-Union to the error Nov. 25, and when Helser was contacted that day for comment, she said she would have to discuss the issue with county attorney Chad Miner and county Auditor Michelle Puckett. At the Nov. 26 County Commissioners meeting, Puckett and Miner said they had only been made aware of the error on Nov. 25. Questions about how many taxpayers were affected, and exactly what website the mistake appeared on, went unanswered by officials. Puckett said a late fee of 5% is billed to taxpayers who don’t pay within 30 days, then jumps to 10% after that.