Reading Select Board Approves Taxpayer Relief

READING, MA — The Reading Select Board voted unanimously to approve relief from late charges for property taxes or water, sewer or stormwater utility fees, as well as delay due dates for taxes and utilities.

The town has adopted local options to extend due dates for real and personal property tax payments and applications for exemptions and a waiver of interest on certain municipal tax and other bills paid by June 30.

Water, sewer and stormwater payments due on April 15 and property tax payments due on May 1 will be considered on time if paid by June 1. The due date for applications for property tax exemptions has also been extended to June 1.

This is the new due date even if the due date for applications on your enclosed or previously mailed tax bill is April 1. Further, payments of interest or other penalties are waived between March 10 and June 30 on any such bills issued by the town. This waiver of interest does not apply to bills with due dates before March 10 or bills paid past June 30.

For anyone having financial difficulties in making payments by the deadlines listed above, please call 781-942-9023 or send an email to finance@ci.reading.ma.us. The Finance department will develop a payment plan based on your individual circumstances, but they do need to operate under state law where interest charges and penalties will apply to payments made after June 30.

If municipal offices are still closed June 1 as a result of the coronavirus or the declaration of a state of emergency, the due dates for tax payments and applications for exemptions will not be extended further.