As we learned yesterday, Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt has announced that, starting on Thursday, you can pay your county taxes online. Pollitt should be commended for moving into the 21st century and making an unpleasant task a little more convenient.
Along with convenience, paying your bill online requires a fee. If you pay by electronic check, there is a flat fee of $3.00. If you use a credit card, it will cost you 2.75% of the bill amount with a minimum charge of $3.95. Since processing credit card transaction and electronic checks costs money, it is pretty normal to pas these fees on to the taxpayer.
There’s just one problem. The county council hasn’t approved these fees. While I don’t doubt that Pollitt and the Finance Department are simply passing through what they are being charged, it is still my understanding that any fee must be approved by council. Since council does not meet until AFTER July 14th (when the new features will be available), is Pollitt exceeding his authority as County Executive?
We’ll have to see. I’m sure that the council will be asking the same questions.
It is possible that Pollitt is not exceeding his authority. I am confident that the county is simply subscribing to a payment processing service rather than building their own payment portal. It could be looked on as the VENDOR charging the fee rather than the county. If so, this opens up several other cans of worms. Regardless, it would have been more prudent to ask council’s approval for the fee structure at their last meeting. Instead, this will be one more example of Pollitt coming in at the 11th hour (in this case, after the fact) and asking for approval to an action that he has already taken.
When Pollitt argues “separation of powers” his arguments don’t ring too true when he is constantly exceeding his own authority.
Post Script -
Last night I marveled at the number of people who complained about the fees in comments. Do they believe that other taxpayers should subsidize their convenience? The fees aren’t mandatory. If they don’t want to pay the fee, simply mail a check or ride by the GOB and pay their taxes in person.
Only real problem is that to charge a fee for using a credit card is a violation of VISA/Master Card merchant agreements. A founded complaint could jeopardize the entire process.
ReplyDeleteMost folks bring it by in person to the GOB Finance ladies.
ReplyDeleteI write a check. What ever makes you happy. Alot of places have fees, that just the way it is.
It sounds like the same vendor processing system used by the town of Ocean City. At least the fees are about the same...I think it is the vendor charging for the convenience. I think Worcester County uses it too but I'm not really sure.
ReplyDeleteThe bigger thing I noticed was that the system allowed commerical properties to pay in 2 semi annual payments. This has never been like that before. Commerical has to pay all at once. I am trying to pay my first installemnt now as I think that was a system mistake.
ReplyDeleteThe "subsidy" referred to may be offset by the fact that government SAVES money when people pay electronically.
ReplyDeleteCredit card fees are under 2% if you shop around. The county or it's citizens are getting ripped off by not putting the system out to bid.
ReplyDeleteCredit card fees are not under 2% when you factor in ALL of the costs associated with having the terminal, supplies and processing fees. I don't know where you're getting that number from Anon 11:32.
ReplyDeleteWe accept credit cards where I work. It costs us a chunk of money each month but if we didn't have the means to accept them, we figure we would possibly have lost out on 50% of those revenues. It's worth the fees to us to process them.
The county needs to look at it the same way.
You have to spend money to make money. That's plain and simple!
What a bunch of crybabies. Do you want those that use a convenience to be subsidized by those that don't. What a bunch of whiners. If they weren't charging a fee, you would complain about that.
ReplyDeletehats off to mr harrison and mr albero for always keeping us informed on local goverment happenings!!!! you guys are the taxpayers friends.
ReplyDelete10:23, I would say that in many instances like this, and in the past, they create more unecessary desention than do good. Remember all the posts about intoxigate at the landfill that turned out to be completely false? There have been many posts that were based on hearsay and never followed up on. Big deal, a couple of bucks to use a more convenient method of payment.
ReplyDelete