MML staff testified in support of House Bill 396, which had its Senate hearing on Monday, March 18th. As passed by the House of Delegates, the bill authorizes the governing body of a county or municipal corporation to provide, by law, for a voluntary installment payment schedule for county, municipal corporation, or special taxing district property tax due on real property. HB 396 also authorizes municipalities to allow residents to pay their property taxes in advance.
The amendments that were added in the house clarify the cooperative relationship between counties and municipalities, ensuring that no jurisdiction has tax collection scheduling authority over the other. There are a couple of technical amendments to the bill as well. If you have any questions about HB 396 as amended, please contact Justin Fiore at the MML office.