eCheck fee for online property tax payments reduced

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The Town of Oyster Bay’s eCheck (ACH) processing vendor has agreed to reduce the fee charged for online property tax payments made within the next 30 to 60 days. Taxpayers are generally charged up to $6 by the vendor for eCheck payments and will now only be charged $0.75 for payments up to $100,000. This reduced fee was requested by Jeffrey P. Pravato, the town’s receiver of taxes, because in-person payments are suspended due to the current public health emergency.

"With the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, many local governments have suspended in-person interactions at its facilities,” Pravato said. “As the pandemic has had a profoundly negative effect on the residents of the Town of Oyster Bay, and throughout New York state, Supervisor Joseph Saladino and I sought to reduce costs for taxpayers by asking the vendor to reduce their fees.” 

Pravato added that the town is urging the governor to issue an executive order to extend the tax collection deadline for payment of school taxes for a 30-day period. He and Saladino contacted the governor's office last week requesting the extension. With the tax collection deadline currently scheduled for May 11, reminder notices are scheduled to be mailed to residents in early April. 

"Our Tax Office remains open, but we have temporarily suspended personal, in-office contact, resulting in the temporary halt of processing payments made in person, and delaying processing of mailed payments," said Pravato. "We are currently coordinating the collection of the second half of school taxes for 2019 through 2020. Extending this deadline is important to continue protecting the safety of our residents."