Good Question: Are the lowered tax fees temporary?

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC)—We have an update on a Good Question about your taxes.

It’s the start of the tax season, when we all have to pay our town and county property taxes. Last week– we told you Monroe County officials are not waiving the 3% convenience fee tacked on to online payments made with a credit card, but they did get the rate lowered to 2.75%.

We heard from a viewer after that story aired asking — is that just temporary?

The short answer—-that’s most likely going to be the price you pay all year, unless you send a check through the mail, or pay in-person to avoid it. A county spokesperson told us in a follow-up —the credit card processing fee applies to all tax bills that must be paid throughout 2021, not just during property tax season.

So when your school tax payments come up in the fall, expect to see it if you’re paying online with the county.

This issue got more attention because the last time you paid school taxes toward the end of 2020, the credit card fee did get waived. County officials used the first round of COVID relief money to cover the costs, but Congress hasn’t sent more aid to state and local governments yet.

If that happens, the county may look at helping pick up the tab on those convenience fees again.

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