OFFICE OF THE TREASURER-TAX COLLECTOR SHARI L. FREIDENRICH, CPA, CCMT, CPFA, ACPFIM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shari L. Freidenrich Date June 9, 2015 (714) 834-7625; Treasurer@ttc.ocgov.com
Property Tax Collection Rates Soar – Help is Available for Delinquent Taxpayers
The collection rate for secured property taxes for FY 2014-15 is at 98.25%, making this the highest collection rate in the last 20 years, Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector Shari Freidenrich announced. Incoming receipts for the second installment are $133 million or 5.4% higher than the same time last year. Electronic payments represent 55% of all incoming payments, up 2% from last year. Steps taken to streamline the payment process also has reduced wait times at our public counter, as taxpayers generally waited less than 10 minutes to pay in person.
Treasurer Freidenrich said her office has mailed approximately 30,000 delinquent notices to taxpayers who did not pay their property taxes in full for the FY 2014-15 tax year, down 7% from the previous year and 20% from three years ago. Delinquent taxes from FY 2014-15 will be considered defaulted if full payment is not received or postmarked on or before June 30, 2015. After that date, the Treasurer adds a $15 administrative cost and a penalty of 1.5% per month (18% per year) to the amount due until the tax bill is fully paid. After going five years unpaid, the Treasurer-Tax Collector will sell the parcel at an annual property tax auction sale. Continue reading