JAY — Selectpersons will hold a special town meeting Monday, Sept. 12, to see if voters would like to establish a club to make monthly property tax payments on their primary and legal residences.

The meeting is at 6 p.m. at the Town Office.

There would be no interest charged as long as they stay current, Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere said.

Given the tax rate increase, this may be a way to help property owners by stretching their payments out over eight months from October though May, she said.

Selectpersons in August set the 2016 tax rate at $21.10 per $1,000 of valuation, $3.85 higher than last year. 

Under the club rules, the taxpayer would have to agree to pay specified monthly payments to the town based on the property owner’s tax obligation for the current year’s property taxes. The town would agree not to charge interest on timely payments made.

The agreement would automatically be terminated if a scheduled payment is late, and the taxpayer then becomes subject to the same due dates and interest rates as other taxpayers not participating in a tax club.

Only taxpayers who do not have any outstanding tax obligations are eligible to participate in the program. Taxpayers wishing to participate in a club for a particular property tax year would enter into an agreement with the town by a publicly advertised deadline determined by the town tax collector.

If voters approve the proposal, enrollment would begin Sept. 13.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net