Press Release
For Immediate Release:
July 20, 2020
Contact:
Lisa L. Culpepper, Adams County Treasurer and Public Trustee lculpepper@adcogov.org
720.523.6160
Adams County Treasurer Culpepper to Continue Temporary Waiver of Interest
on Property Tax Payments through August 2020
Brighton, CO (July 20, 2020) – The Adams County Treasurer continues to waive interest charges on delinquent payments through the end of August 2020.
By working closely with state legislators and county treasurers from Jefferson, Boulder, Summit County, and Eagle County, the bill was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis on June 14, 2020. The Treasurer, with new statutory authority, immediately approved the continuing waiver through July 31, 2020 for all of Adams County taxpayers, and, has decided to again waive interest through August 31, 2020. No further waivers of interest are anticipated, so paying on or before August 31, 2020 is required.
In June, the Adams County Board of County Commissioners made clear their support of county taxpayers by their voice vote on the record in the Public Meeting held in late June. The further evidenced their approval of waiving interest, at the Treasurer’s discretion, in their written Resolution the following week.
The Treasurer makes clear that her approval of waiving interest is limited law and by county economic factors; interest will again be due and owing for any taxpayer whom has not paid, in full, their real property or business personal property tax on or before August 31, 2020. This is a window of opportunity being provided to the taxpayers of Adams County to pay their taxes interest-free in the wake of the COVID pandemic.
The Adams County Treasurer will continue, with her colleague Treasurers in Summit, Jefferson, Boulder, and Eagle, to work with the state legislature to remove very old restrictions on the constitutionally elected county treasurers’ authorities from statutes. While, as Summit County Treasurer Ryne Scholl stated, the county treasurers’ “…authority granted in” Colorado House Bill 20-1421 “to implement [tax collections] strategy will sunset in 2020”, many county treasurers, including Adams County Treasurer Culpepper, will continue advocating for the constitutional authority of the County Treasurer to more closely align with the Colorado Constitution, and to work with county taxpayers on payment plans and interest waivers.
Culpepper’s office is encouraging the Adams County taxpayers to submit payment as soon as possible, and to not wait until August 31. The collection of property taxes is vital to the funding of daily operations of the county; for funding Fire protection and response; and, to continue the operations of water/sanitation services (amongst many other services provided) in Adams County.
The policy is open to anyone but does not extend to accounts where the taxes are remitted by a mortgage company through a taxpayer’s escrow account or by a title company as part of a real estate closing.
Payment and interest information is available on the Treasurer’s tax history and payment website at www.adcotax.com (fastest source of information); by emailing the Treasurer’s office at treasurer@adcogov.org (fast); or, as a last resort, by calling the Treasurer’s office at 720.523.6160 (due to COVID remote working, it may be a business day or two before a return call is made, so be sure to answer if you see a 720-523-6160 call).
About the Adams County Treasurer: The Adams County Treasurer collects all Adams County revenues on behalf of the County and all government entities which use property tax as a source of revenue. The Treasurer also functions as the County’s bank: Receiving, investing, and, disbursing monies in accordance with the Colorado Constitution and state statute. The Adams County Treasurer is a constitutional office, and the incumbent of the position is elected by the voters of Adams County. The Treasurer elected position is currently held by Lisa L. Culpepper.
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Important Information Regarding Property Tax Payments
On 04/06/2020, Governor Polis granted further authority to the Treasurer and Public Trustee's Office to waive interest on the first half real property tax payment (which was due 03/02/2020), so long as the taxpayer pays that first half on or before 04/30/2020. (A prior Executive Order granted authority to the Treasurer and Public Trustee to waive interest through 04/20/2020). The language of the current Executive Order follows (and a hyperlink to the full Executive Order is here):
Excerpt from Governor Polis’ 04/06/2020 Order:
2. Replace Paragraph II.I (of the 03/21/2020 Executive Order) with the following:
I authorize the County Treasurers of the State of Colorado to take action to suspend or waive delinquent interest through April 30, 2020 that may accrue pursuant to the provisions of C.R.S. § 39-10-104.5 as a result of delinquent tax payments. I further authorize county treasurers to accept multiple payments from any taxpayer ahead of payment deadlines and encourage any taxpayer to make second-installment payments ahead of the June 15 deadline established in C.R.S. § 39-10-104.5(2). Any action by a Treasurer to waive delinquent interest shall be made with advance notice to any entity that imposes a mill levy within the county and shall be made available on the Treasurer’s website, electronic mail, or automated messages. This Executive Order does not authorize County Treasurers to waive delinquent interest pursuant to the provisions of C.R.S. § 39-10-104.5 that accrues after April 30, 2020.
(Emphasis in bold is added here by the Treasurer).
Adams County Schedule Change
Beginning Tuesday, June 2, Adams County will re-open county buildings with new safety measures in place, and it’s important to remember that Staying Safe and Staying Home are still paramount for you and for our staff.
The Treasurer and Public Trustee's Office will still be staffed at essential personnel only, and the building management will require that, IF you must come in, you will be masked and gloved (more). We do ask that you not come to the Treasurer and Public Trustee's Office without calling our office first to get an appointment – 720.523.6160.
We are working
We are working, and all payments are being processed each day that we receive them from the USPS. Please pay with a check by mailing it (with your coupon, if possible), or go to adcotax.com to pay online, or you can drop it off at the building in our drop box or the ballot boxes listed on this site. We are working to keep Adams County operating smoothly through this pandemic. Thank you!
Important Notice
Residents and businesses in Adams County may pay their property taxes to the Treasurer and Public Trustee's Office in many ways:
- Online at adcotax.com
- Over the phone – 720.523.6160, #2
- Hand-deliver to the black drop box outside the Adams County Government Center, 4430 S. Adams County Pkwy., Brighton
Governor Jared Polis issued Executive Order D 2020 012 that limits evictions, foreclosures, and public utility disconnections for Coloradans affected by COVID-19.
The Tri-County Health Department has issued a stay-at-home order that goes into effect Thursday, March 26. Read the full order here.
Short Term Rental & Mortgage Assistance Information
2019 REAL & PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX BILLS
2019 Real and Personal Property Tax Bills are in the mail. If you want a copy now visit adcotax.com to print a bill or a Statement of Taxes Due free of charge.
ON-LINE PROPERTY TAX PAYMENT
Click here to make a tax payment online, view your parcel details, obtain current and prior year payment history and receipts, and view or print your current year tax statement.
PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS
Property taxes are collected one year in arrears. In 2020 the Treasurer and Public Trustee's Office will collect the 2019 taxes.
By June 30th each year, the Treasurer and Public Trustee's Office collects about 95% of all taxes billed. By December 31st, 99.9% of all taxes will be collected.
IMPORTANT: The Assessor maintains the mailing addresses for tax statement notifications. Click here to print the form. When completed, mail the form to:
Adams County Assessor’s Office
4430 South Adams County Parkway
2nd Floor, Suite C2100
Brighton, CO 80601
Once the form is input into the Assessor’s system a file transfers the information to the Treasurer and Public Trustee's Office, therefore notification of address change to the Treasurer and Public Trustee's Office is not necessary.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Please contact the Treasurer and Public Trustee's Office by email at treasurer@adcogov.org or by phone at 720.523.6160 with any comments, questions, or suggestions so that we can better serve you. Thank you!