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Annual Report of the
Treasurer/Collector
Brenda A. Herbeck
Staff
Sarah Piehler
Catherine Barrows
Alanna Carreiro
The Town of Mattapoisett adopted the quarterly tax billing system in FY~2004 to improve cash flow, with property tax bills due by August 1, November 1, February 1 and May 1. Adding a scan line to property and motor vehicle bills has save time in posting payments, as the bank is able to scan the payment information, deposit the funds and email a payment file to the Collector’s Office for automatic posting of payment information. If mailing a payment, I encourage taxpayers to mail their payments to the lockbox address, P.O. Box 1596.
I also encourage taxpayers to take advantage of making on-line property tax, motor vehicle excise tax and boat excise tax payments using the eBill website www.mcc.com. After registering, taxpayers can make payments by having them automatically withdrawn from their bank account or can make payments, for a convenience charge, using American Express, Discover or Master Card credit cards.
For taxpayers who regularly pay bills on-line, I encourage them to use the eBill website instead of paying on-line through their bank. Currently, the Town is not set up to directly accept on-line payments generated through personal on-line banking. With personal on-line banking, an actual check is mailed to the Collector’s Office. Taxpayers must take into account the time it takes for a check to be generated and mailed to the Collector’s Office to insure it arrives by the due date. Many times on these bank checks there is insufficient or incorrect information, making it difficult for us to identify which bill a taxpayer is intending to pay. It may result in delayed payment processing or a payment being returned to the taxpayer for clarification. When taxpayers use the eBill website, a payment file is
emailed to the Collector’s Office for automatic processing and the funds are automatically transferred to the Town’s bank account. Payments can be made until 11:59PM on the day the bills are due using eBill.
The Town continues to enjoy a high collections rate (98.9% in FY07). At the end of FY 2007, twenty parcels were in Tax Title; four were paid during the fiscal year. Four are considered land of low value and are eligible for foreclosure. The foreclosure process has begun on four other parcels.
Taxpayers experiencing financial hardship are encouraged to consult with the Board of Assessors to determine eligibility for deferrals and exemptions as options to allow them to remain in their homes. While properties in deferral accrue interest on outstanding taxes at 8% annually, overdue tax and lien amounts incur 14% interest and 16% when in tax title, per State law.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my staff for their cooperation, dedication, eagerness to learn and sense of humor. I am grateful that everyone works well together to get the department running efficiently and effectively. I would also like to thank all Town departments for their cooperation and assistance throughout the year.
Respectfully Submitted:
Brenda A. Herbeck
Treasurer/Collector
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