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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
April 10 is the due date for the final installment payment for the county’s secured property tax roll for the period of July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020.
The county of Lake and the majority of the rest of the state’s 58 counties have not taken action to push back the due date, despite the impacts on the economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has shuttered many businesses and required residents across the state to shelter in place.
One exception is the county of San Francisco County, which said it has extended its property tax deadline to May 4, the first business day after its shelter-in-place order is to be lifted.
Another is San Mateo County, which also has extended to May 4 its deadline for the second installment of property tax payments.
Over the weekend, the California State Association of Counties and the California Association of County Treasurers and Tax Collectors said counties were pledging to use “all existing authority to cancel penalties and other charges for homeowners, small businesses and other property owners that are unable to pay their property taxes due to circumstances caused by COVID‐19 on a case‐by‐case basis,” as Lake County News has reported.
The two organizations said that due to the importance of property tax revenue to counties, cities and schools, any delay in payments “would take tens of billions of dollars away from local government, create cash flow problems, and cause some to default on their loans, which would have significant long‐term effects on all local agencies in California.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom thanked the groups for committing to providing economic relief for residents and small businesses facing hardships due to COVID-19.
Lake County to offer waiver process
During its Tuesday meeting, the Board of Supervisors voted to add as a special item to its agenda a discussion with Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen, who answered questions about property tax payments and potential penalty relief for those who cannot pay their property taxes by the deadline due to impacts of COVID-19.
Ringen said she doesn’t have the authority to change the April 10 property tax due date, but she does have the ability to allow for a penalty waiver.
Property owners will have to provide documentation about why they cannot pay their property taxes in relation to impacts from COVID-19, she said. Each waiver will be reviewed on an individual basis.
She said the penalty waiver form will have to be submitted by June 30 along with a check for the base tax. Taxes can be paid online, by phone or by mail.
“We do recommend that the taxpayers pay if we can,” otherwise the penalty waiver process will be in place to help them, Ringen said.
County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson relayed to the board information from county Tax Administrator Patrick Sullivan, who reported that only San Francisco and San Mateo were taking specific actions to postpone the payment due dates. In those cases, they are waiting until their offices reopen.
County Counsel Anita Grant explained that, based on California Revenue & Taxation Code section 2619, if the dates for the property tax installments – Dec. 10 and April 10 – fall on a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday, the tax due date moves to the next business day.
The section also states, “If the board of supervisors, by adoption of an ordinance or resolution, closes the county's offices for business prior to the time of delinquency on the ‘next business day’ or for that whole day, that day shall be considered a legal holiday for purposes of this section.”
Grant explained that the two counties in question were extending the due date by their closures.
She also pointed to California Revenue & Taxation Code section 4985.2, which allows for charges and penalties from tax delinquency to be canceled by the auditor or the tax collector upon findings that include that the failure to pay on time was “due to reasonable cause and circumstances beyond the taxpayer's control, and occurred notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care in the absence of willful neglect, provided the principal payment for the proper amount of the tax due is made no later than June 30 of the fourth fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the tax became delinquent.”
Grant noted during the discussion that most counties are doing what Ringen is proposing to do with the penalty waiver process.
Supervisor Bruno Sabatier said he believed Ringen is doing the right thing.
As of early Wednesday, the penalty waiver form did not yet appear to be available on the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office web page.
Frequently asked questions
The Lake County Tax Collector’s Office has offered the following frequently asked questions about property tax.
1. Can the tax collector extend the April 10, 2020, deadline?
No. The county does not have the authority under State law to extend or postpone the second installment property tax deadline of April 10, 2020.
2. County buildings are no longer open to the public, what are my payment options?
Although we are not accepting in-person payments currently at our office, taxpayers can pay online, via telephone, by mail, or drop box located on the first floor of the Courthouse.
Pay online at http://tax.lakecountyca.gov or by telephone 866-506-8035.
There is a convenience fee of 2.5 percent for credit/debit card payments or a $3 flat fee for an e-check.
3. What if I am unable to make a full property tax payment by April 10, 2020, due to the impact of COVID-19?
We encourage all property owners who can pay their taxes on time to do so. This revenue helps keep the government running and providing vital services that the public relies on, especially in times like these.
4. Can I request a penalty cancellation if I am unable to make a timely payment due to COVID-19?
Yes. For those taxpayers directly impacted by the COVID-19 virus and are unable to pay timely there is a penalty waiver process available after the April 10th deadline.
The penalty waiver process requires documentation as to how the taxpayer was impacted by the virus such as reduced hours, layoffs, business closure, hospitalization or other circumstances that prevented timely payment.
Penalty waiver form will be available on our website or by contacting our office at 707-263-2234.
5. I mailed in my property tax payment, however, your system is not showing my taxes as paid. What should I do?
Processing times for mailed payments may be delayed due to the current public health concerns. We will process all mailed payments as soon as possible.
6. If using the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) or courier services (FedEx, UPS, etc.) to deliver my property tax payment, and County Buildings are closed, how will my payment be received?
We are receiving mail from the USPS and courier services. If circumstances change, we have the ability to cancel penalties for payments that would have been mailed timely.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
On March 28, City Manager Margaret Silveira, acting as the city’s director of emergency services, issued Executive Order 2020-01, which renders violations of orders issued by the Lake County Public Health officer or the governor of the state of California related to the COVID-19 emergency as violations of the Lakeport Municipal Code.
The executive order and the accompanying report can be seen in the agenda packet published below, pages 62 to 65.
Silveira told the council in its virtual Tuesday night meeting that the order gives the Lakeport Police Department the ability to issue administrative citations to anyone who violates such orders.
The city currently is working to enforce the countywide shelter in place order that’s been in effect since March 19 and was extended to May 3, as well as the governor’s statewide stay at home order, which also became effective March 19.
So far, Silveira said the police department has done a lot of education and sought voluntary compliance.
The council voted unanimously to ratify Silveira’s order.
The Lakeport Police Department reported on Tuesday that over the weekend its officers contacted 38 additional individuals related to the shelter in place order but issued no citations.
Last week, it issued its only citation to a woman found drinking wine in a courthouse parking lot. She was cited after repeatedly refusing to go home, as Lake County News has reported.
Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen said that only warnings have been issued since then.
Police said they also checked the security of 68 businesses, and conducted more than four hours of foot patrol and 1,251 miles of vehicle patrol.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
040720 Lakeport City Council Agenda Packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said a vehicle stop conducted by one of its deputies last week resulted in the arrests of two men on a variety of charges and warrants, including forgery and identity theft, as well as violation of the county’s shelter in place order for COVID-19.
At 7 p.m. Friday, a Lake County Sheriff’s deputy was traveling on Highway 29 near 11th Street in Lakeport when he saw a GMC Suburban that was being driven by Nicholas Michael Neuman, 40, of Glenhaven, Paulich said.
Paulich said the deputy knew that Neuman was on felony probation, and had felony and misdemeanor warrants for his arrest.
The deputy stopped Neuman on 11th Street near Central Park Avenue, contacted Neuman and placed him under arrest for his warrants, Paulich said.
The deputy also recognized a male passenger in the vehicle as Derek Wayne Stark, 31, of Lakeport. Paulich said Stark was on felony post release community supervision.
During a search of Stark, Paulich said an obvious altered business check made out to Stark was located on his person.
Paulich said the deputy searched a backpack that was found near where Stark had been sitting in the vehicle and located numerous checks, driver licenses and credit cards, none of which belonged to Stark.
Stark was placed under arrest for forgery, making fictitious checks, identity theft, failing to comply with shelter in place order, and violation of post release community supervision. Paulich said Stark was booked at the Lake County Jail where he remains on a no-bail hold.
Paulich said the deputy determined the vehicle Neuman was driving had a false registration tab.
He said Neuman was placed under arrest for his warrants as well as displaying false registration, failing to comply with shelter in place order and violation of probation.
Neuman was booked at the Lake County Jail where he also remains on a no-bail hold, Paulich said.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Last week, among a number of measures meant to help address the economic fallout from COVID-19, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to allow the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration to offer a 90-day extension for tax returns and tax payments for all businesses filing a return for less than $1 million in taxes.
As a result, small businesses will have until the end of July to file their first-quarter returns. The order also extends the statute of limitations to file a claim for refund by 60 days to accommodate tax and fee payers.
Then, on Thursday, Newsom said the state is allowing small businesses to defer payment of sales and use taxes of up to $50,000, for up to 12 months.
Sales and use taxes are key sources of revenue for local governments.
At Thursday night’s Clearlake City Council meeting, City Manager Alan Flora reported the governor’s actions on sales and use tax to the council, explaining that he had just gotten word about it.
Flora called it “pretty shocking”
Although it may be helpful for businesses now, “It’s going to be a big problem for folks when it has to be paid,” Flora said.
Likewise, Flora said it will be an “enormous burden” for local jurisdictions like the city.
“I don’t know what to say other than that. It’s something that’s very surprising to see,” said Flora.
Flora said the deferral has him worried, explaining that the city annually receives about $400,000 from use tax like transient occupancy tax, or bed tax, and the city already is likely to receive very little from that revenue source.
“It’s going to be a real challenge for us,” he said.
The action is raising concern with other leaders in the community, who are trying to better understand what the governor’s order may entail.
“Cities were not given any heads-up that the State was going to announce a sales tax relief,” Lakeport City Manager Margaret Silveira told Lake County News in an email.
“The City is awaiting word from the State if there is going to be any backfill for the cities. This would be a devastating blow to our revenues, if there is no assistance,” Silveira said.
Similarly, County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson said she has questions and concerns.
“Sharing of information regarding the State’s implementation of these particular deferrals remains in a very preliminary stage, but deferral of any tax payments certainly has the potential to significantly affect the County General Fund,” she said via email. “We are monitoring several indicators of County revenues, at present. “With no final guidance on what support will be provided from Federal and State funds, and uncertainty surrounding how long California will be affected by COVID-19, for example, it is not possible to entirely estimate the impact.”
Huchingson added, “This type of uncertainty informed our seeking Board approval to defer detailed budgeting for next year to September, and our approach has been consistent with statewide best practices.”
Last Tuesday, Huchingson went to the board with the plan to use the current year’s budget numbers as a starting point for next year’s budgeting process, with staff to make adjustments in the lead up to the recommended budget hearings on June 9 and the final recommended budget hearings on Sept. 23 and 24.
On Thursday Flora suggested a similar budget process to the Clearlake City Council, recommending very minimal changes to the current budget, which would be amended.
He said it remains to be seen how revenue streams will be impacted
Flora said a lot of restaurants, which are large sales tax generators, are not operating, but he said he’s seen initial numbers on sales tax for major retailers that indicate they are up more than 40 percent.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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