Treasurer to Send Out 116,912 Tax Bills

Some say "the check is in the mail" is the world's greatest lie.

Sandoval County property owners are about to get the truth, though, as treasurer Lorraine Dominguez said Friday that 116,912 tax bills will be mailed out Nov. 1.

At least half of the 2007 tax bill must be paid by Dec. 10 to avoid delinquency charges or interest. The second half is due April 10, 2008.

“The property tax bills that go in the mail in November are the only notice taxpayers will receive for the entire year. No additional bills or notices will be sent,” Dominguez said. “The bills include coupons for submitting payment for both the first and second one-half installments, as well as a third coupon for taxpayers to use when paying the full year’s taxes in one payment.”

Property tax payments can be submitted to Sandoval County in a variety of ways, including in person at the Sandoval County Courthouse in Bernalillo or by mail using the return envelope included with the bill. Other options include payments by electronic fund transfers, Visa or MasterCard, by phone at 1-866-269-1950 or online though a link available on the Treasurer’s section of the county website, www.sandovalcounty.com.

If you don't pay in person, though, Dominguez warned that additonal fees are charged with some methods of payment. Credit card transactions will incur a fee of 2.5 percent of the payment amount and electronic fund transfers from savings or checking accounts will include a fee of $3 per transaction.

“These fees are charged by the financial institution," Dominguez said. "Sandoval County does not receive any proceeds from the convenience fees.”

She also urged property owners to make sure that agents such as mortgage companies get payments in on time.

"Taxpayers should contact their escrow agent to confirm receipt of the tax information from the Treasurer’s Office,” she said. “Even if the bill is being paid by a mortgage company, the owner of the property should keep a copy of the bill for their records.”

More information on tax bills, payment options and related topics is available online at the treasurer’s section of the county website, www.sandovalcounty.com, or by calling the Treasurer’s Office at (505) 867-7581. Questions regarding property valuations, exemptions or changes of ownership or addresses should be directed to the assessor’s office, (505) 867-7562.