SACRAMENTO – California State Association of Counties
(CSAC) and the California Association of County Treasurers and
Tax Collectors issue the following statement regarding the
COVID-19 crisis and the April 10th property tax
deadline.
“Taking care of Californians is our top priority, and counties,
cities, and schools are burning through local reserves to do so.
Any delay in payments beyond the April 10 property tax deadline,
for individuals or businesses that can pay, will tip local
governments into insolvency at a time when our residents need us
the most.
Counties will use all existing authority to cancel penalties and
other charges for homeowners, small businesses, and other
property owners that are unable to pay their property taxes due
to circumstances caused by COVID-19 on a case-by-case basis.
However, property owners who can pay or that haven’t been
directly affected by COVID-19, including international
corporations and out-of-state landlords, still need to pay on
time to keep critical government services running. Assisting
taxpayers in this way is not new to Tax Collectors, who most
recently worked to help those who were affected by the Camp and
Woolsey fires.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, CSAC has been working
across all policy areas to support flexibility throughout county
operations and programs. Over the last few weeks, CSAC has worked
closely with several county affiliates, stakeholders, and state
departments to ensure necessary adjustments are made to vital
county services. As always, for the latest updates and resources,
be sure to visit CSAC’s COVID-19 Resource Page, which is
updated daily.
The Employee Relations policy area falls under the jurisdiction
of the Government Finance and Operations (GFO) Policy Committee
and is responsible for all issues related to public employment
and retirement. Specific issues areas are pension benefits and
pension system administration; labor relations; issues regarding
county negotiations with employees; workers’ compensation; and
other risk management issues facing public employers.
California is a doing a remarkable job of heeding the statewide
“Stay at
Home” directive to flatten the curve and slow the spread of
the Coronavirus (COVID-19). While these orders are temporary, for
many they’re likely to have lasting impacts. To help, we’re
counting down the top five ways to make the most of this
situation, contribute to the public good and prepare for a
brighter future.
5. File Your 2019 Taxes.
Yes, much of the state is shut down, but taxes are still due.
However, due to Coronavirus, the Treasury Department, Internal
Revenue Service and the State of California Franchise Tax Board
have all extended the Federal and State income tax filing date
from April 15 to July 15, 2020. While many companies provide
fee-based tax preparation software online ( H&R
Block, Intuit
–makers of TurboTax), the IRS has options to prepare and file
federal income tax returns for free (based on income) using
tax-preparation-and-filing software. Learn more
here. California income tax can be filed directly with the
state for free
here.
4. Take Online Classes.
While many County employees are still hard at work providing
essential services in our communities, spouses or loved ones who
find themselves at home with extra time on their hands may
consider a wide variety of learning opportunities.
