Common Council passes property tax resolution waiving interest, penalty charges

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee property owners dealing with financial difficulties due to the coronavirus pandemic will get some relief.

On Monday, the Common Council approved a resolution waiving interest and penalty charges on outstanding property taxes.

It received unanimous co-sponsorship from council members.

The period runs from April 1-September 30.

To be clear, this is a waiver of tax penalties and outstanding balance fees. This is not a loan for property owners. 

"We are all in the middle of a crisis and a pandemic and so whatever we can do to ensure that we are protecting lives and that on the other side of this, that we come out without having more houses in our inventory, that is the goal," said Alderwoman Chantia Lewis.

To be eligible, your tax payments must be current and not delinquent up to April 1, 2020 and the taxpayer must be found to be experiencing economic hardship -- although, the resolution states that every Milwaukee taxpayer has and is experiencing economic hardship as a result of the pandemic, and is therefore eligible for a waiver.