Why tax bills might leave some people scratching their heads this year

Property tax bills are arriving in mailboxes across York County, and for York city taxpayers, there's a big change this year.

They are receiving two separate bills: one from the City of York and one from York County.

Those bills will need to be paid separately at different locations — a switch from previous years when they were done together.

And if taxpayers do not follow the instructions, they could end up paying more.

The county made the decision more than a year ago to make the change in 2020, and notice was sent out with city school bills last year, city treasurer Joe Jefcoat said.

His office has been receiving calls from confused taxpayers.

Residents in other York County municipalities are not affected.

Here's what you need to know:

How will it work?

The treasurer for the City of York will continue to collect the taxes for the city and the York City School District. Those bills can be paid at York City Hall. Payments also can be mailed there: 101 S. George St., York, PA 17401 and marked for the treasurer's office. 

The treasurer for the County of York will be collecting the county taxes. Those bills are blue and can be paid one of the following ways:

• Send a check or money order to the York County Treasurer, P.O. Box 2848, York, PA 17405
• Make a payment at any Fulton Bank branch. It will be credited on the business date it is paid.
• Go to the York County treasurer's office at 28 E. Market St., Room 126.
• Pay by credit card at pay.paygov.us. Select PA, York County, and real estate.

Payments must be made in full and need to include the tax collector portion of the tax bill, according to a news release. 

Property owners who have a mortgage with an escrow account need to notify their mortgage company of the change.

Payments must be postmarked by the due date.

The county will be charging a $20 service fee for returned or stop-payment checks.

Why two separate bills?

The city increased what it was charging the county to collect the county's portion of real estate taxes, county spokesman Mark Walters said.

"By doing it ourselves, it's not costing as much," he wrote in an email.

The move is expected to save the county around $70,000.

What if taxpayers pay both with one check?

The City of York intends to return any checks that include payment for the county portion, Jefcoat said. That's because the city doesn't have a record of how much the taxpayers owe the county. 

"I don't know if the total of the check is correct," he said.

And while the city could cut a check to the taxpayer for the balance, it would create an accounting nightmare, Jefcoat said.

It's also important for receipt and auditing purposes, he said. 

The city will not charge to mail the check back to the taxpayer.

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The County of York will handle things a little differently.

If a taxpayer sends one check to the county treasurer for both the city and the county taxes, the county will take its share and send the rest back to the taxpayer, Walters said.

So if property owners wait until the last minute to pay their taxes and don't follow the directions, their payments could be late.

Both the city and the county recommend including a phone number on the check in case there is a problem with a payment. Jefcoat said an email address on the check would work, too.

Can anyone in the county pay with a credit card?

No, Walters said.

Property owners cannot pay their real estate taxes by credit card if their municipality has an elected tax collector, he said. 

Not all municipalities do, though.

West York, for example, does not have an elected tax collector, so the county collects the taxes for the municipality, he said. In that borough, taxpayers can pay with a credit card.

Here's a list of in which municipalities people can pay by credit card:

• York City — Only the county real estate bill
• Delta borough
• Fawn Grove borough
• Mt Wolf borough
• Railroad borough
• Wellsville borough
• West York borough
• Yoe borough
   

For more information, visit the York County Treasurer's website at yorkcountypa.gov.