Remarks on the Passage of Bill 26-0152

“Property Tax Payment Plans are finally here! Residential property owners can now sign up for property tax payment plans if you are behind in paying your taxes. If residential property owners enroll by May 12th, you will be removed from the tax sale."

I have advocated for several years to bring property tax payment plans to Baltimore to help residents avoid tax sale. In most cases, owners of residential property have mortgages, and the monthly mortgage payment includes the property taxes ensuring residents are current. Property tax payment plans are important in the cases where a property owner no longer has a mortgage. Paying the taxes in two lump sums two times per year can be challenging. Significant numbers of our residents either already paid the mortgage or are living in family homes where the mortgage has already been paid. 

Our legislation is for all residential properties. This is important so that we are not excluding residents in tangled title situations from the opportunity to keep their family homes. Moreover, the opportunity to make it easier for all owners of residential properties, even landlords, can be helpful to keep properties in decent shape for tenants. 

The property tax payment plans for taxes in arrears initiative combined with the legislation passed last term allows for residents to pay their taxes in installments rather than two times per year. Both initiatives are critical to assist our residents in these tough times. No resident should have to choose between paying the taxes, medications, or food. 

In addition, this is the cornerstone for reforming our property tax collection system completely. Maryland is one of 20 states that still collects taxes using third party investors to collect property taxes. Baltimore City is leading the effort to reform this system, and through our different initiatives we are getting closer to reforming our property tax collection system.

Thank you to my colleagues on the Baltimore City Council for unanimously voting in favor of our property tax payment plan bill, Mayor Scott for his partnership and signing it so quickly, and the Scott Administration for setting up the portal and making this happen. I also want to thank advocates who have been deeply part of this journey. I look forward to analyzing the data and working on the next steps to help our residents.”