AnonymousSource: County of Santa Barbara
The Santa Barbara County Treasurer-Tax Collector (TTC) is experienced in working with the community in times of emergency and disaster. Due to the COVID-19 emergency, after April 10 the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s office will consider written requests for penalty cancellations on a case-by-case basis.
Secured Taxes are Delinquent after April 10, 2020: The second installment of the 2019-2020 Annual Secured property tax bill due as of February 1 will become delinquent if not paid on or before April 10. The Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office does not have the authority to extend the payment delinquency date of April 10 and all payments received after this date will be assessed late penalties and costs as required by law.
Property owners who can pay their property taxes on time are encouraged to do so. Property taxes are a critical source of revenue that helps keep the government running and provides vital services the public relies on, including emergency response, public health, public works, and schools.
Penalty Waivers After April 10: After April 10, the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s office will consider written requests for penalty cancellations on a case-by-case basis. The Cancellation of Penalty form will be available on the website after April 10.
Office Hours and Locations: To support social distancing, the TTC strongly encourages remote payments. Effective April 1, 2020 and until further notice, the TTC public counters will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday in Santa Barbara at 105 E Anapamu St., Room 109; and in Santa Maria at 511 E Lakeside Pkwy.
Ways to Pay: At this time, the secured tax information for Fiscal Year 2019-2020 is available online for inquiry or payments. Payments can be made by the methods below:
- Online and Phone– Payments may be made online at www.sbtaxes.org with a credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover), electronic check, or by phone at
(805) 724-3008 or Toll Free (877) 399-8089. The TTC does not charge a fee for submitting via electronic check, however the credit card processor will charge a convenience fee for credit card transactions.
- USPS Postmarked Mail – Payments should be remitted to PO Box 579, Santa Barbara, CA 93102-0579. Check, cashier’s checks and money orders are accepted. A U.S. Postal Service cancellation mark of April 10, 2020 or prior will be timely.
For updates, please visit www.sbtaxes.org or call (805) 568-2920 (Santa Barbara) or (805) 346-8330 (Santa Maria).
Perhaps the County would consider NOT charging a fee for paying by credit card?! — That would help quite a few.
88 Considering property taxes were due on February 1st, Six weeks before anyone in this community was affected by layoffs, I don’t see how any relief should be given. The April 10th date is already a grace period. Why should anyone have late fees deferred from an existing grace period?
Not charging a credit card fee would be most appreciated at this difficult time.
Gosh, I have no idea why anyone would think that it would be a reasonable response to extend the grace period during this booming economy with record high employment and tourism.
I disagree. The solution they’ve created does not pass on any fees to the public – eating the credit card fee does, by a LOT, because if they provide this option, everyone and their brother will use it to take advantage of credit card rewards. Even those able to pay through a different method. It’s a bad idea. If you cannot afford to part with actual money via an ACH payment (free processing), consider waiting to pay, and apply for the penalty forgiveness instead of paying extra $$ for the credit card submission.
Just mailed a check off to Harry E. Hagen. Times like these demonstrate why property tax is stupid. Taxing income – cash coming in, LIQUID income – makes sense. Taxing illiquid assets, which one usually inhabits, regardless of whether the world is burning down is wrong. Let’s tax INCOME, not property. At least we have Prop 13 locking things in place. We can always repeal it for second homes, investment properties, and so on. But all Americans should be entitled to a primary residence free of exorbitant ongoing tax burden. That’s how it’s done in most of the rest of the world, too. Including more “progressive” countries.
Doesn’t change the fact that it’s due in February. You are already getting a two month grace period. Most people should be paying on time, not waiting until the last minute of the grace period.
Sbroses I disagree. Property tax makes sense because we all live in this beautiful place and should have to contribute to its maintenance and public programs. We drive on the roads, have fire and police protection, accessible public schools etc… Income tax, however is bogus. Why should the government get money off of my hard work? The government garnishes our wages and does who knows what with it. If anything there should be a flat income tax. Everyone pays the same percentage. No loopholes, no deductions, no tax cuts. Tax code is so complex and is constantly changing. It’s totally unfair to those in the middle who are hit the hardest.
I wonder if Harry E Hagen is tempted to tiptoe into the office one evening with his crew, wheel out the checks, jump on a private jet to Bermuda, and deposit them to his offshore account? 🙂
Everyone has to live somewhere. This isn’t a country club. And property tax based on property “value” is a terrible way to fund schools. In good times, it leads to funding disparities. In bad times – like the Montecito mudslide – it leads to huge budget shortfalls for schools like Cold Springs School. It seems we agree tax code is unfair to all those in the middle.