Madison Co. Tax Collector sends out reminder for property taxes, includes new policy for non payment

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) -Have you gotten a notice for your property taxes in the mail?

Nearly 190,000 homeowners and business owners are opening them up this week in Madison County.

“In this office we’ve always historically sent out that courtesy to make you aware of what the taxes are going to be for the year. And it’s also a good prompt if you have a mortgage, what your mortgage company is going to be paying out of your escrow account on your behalf,” Madison County Tax Collector Valerie Miles said.

But this courtesy reminder looks different than in years past.

First, it’s not a bill but a heads up that your property taxes are due on October first.

But on the bottom of the letter you’ll see some text in bright red, that’s causing alarm for some residents.

”I saw a notice, a legal notice, of intent to file a tax lien and I’m like wait, what?” Joyce Ball lives in North Huntsville, she says she was surprised to find the letter in the mail.

She is one of 173,215 homeowners in Madison County who received it.

“There is no explanation in here why there’s a letter to me with a notice of intent to file a tax lien on my property for taxes that are not due yet. People who have a car payment, do they get a letter from a collection agency that says we’re going to take your car, if you don’t make your next payment, that’s essentially what this is,” Ball said.

But the new tax collector, Valerie Miles says it’s there because it’s a new policy she wants everyone to be aware of.

“Instead of you losing your property to non payment of taxes, in this situation you basically are receiving a low interest loan that allows you an opportunity, there’s still late fees, there’s still interest fees, but it is a lien certificate instead of a deed,” she explained.

Last year, 115 people lost their properties for non-payment.

Other counties have been doing the same but this is the first year for Madison County.

Another thing causing alarm, property taxes going up. Miles says all because of property values skyrocketing.

“With the low inventory in houses. Supply and demand, it does bring those prices up,” Miles said.

“I just filed for a benefit based on age and I thought they were going to be going down and they went up a little bit so I imagine everyone’s taxes will be going up some,” Ball said.

Property taxes are due in October, but you have until December 31 to pay them before facing late fees.

If you want to dispute the increase in your taxes, contact the county tax assessor’s office.

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