Lynn launches online property tax bill system

LYNN – More than 100 property taxpayers have signed up since last week for online tax bill payment accounts that the city?s chief assessor said could save the city money.Peter Caron said a few keyboard clicks enroll taxpayers into an automatic payment account administered by BillTrust, a national firm paid $1,500 annually by the city to manage automated accounts.Caron, who is also the city?s acting chief financial officer, said the city launched automated tax payments last Tuesday when tax bills were mailed out to 21,000 taxpayers – almost all of them residential owners.Automated payment is voluntary and taxpayers can continue to receive and pay paper bills. Bills sent out last week are imprinted with a logo reminding taxpayers to sign up online if they want automatic payment. The taxpayer?s individual account number and “web enrollment token” is printed next to the icon.Caron said logging onto lynnma.billtrust.com allows taxpayers to sign up for automated payment using the account number and enrollment token. Taxpayers can choose to make a single automated payment or set up an online account designating a bank account or credit card as the tax bill payment source.He said the city computer tracking system recorded 44 online bill payments since last Tuesday with 117 taxpayers signed up for automated payment.?It?s becoming common in most communities – it?s where things are going,” he said.Taxpayers must pick up the electronic banking or credit card transaction charge associated with the online payment – the city is not allowed, Caron said, to absorb transaction fees.The city is also providing an “e-billing” option for the 60,000 motor vehicle excise tax bills sent out annually. Most of the bills are sent out in February, said Caron.Caron estimated the city will save on postage and other paper-related billings costs amounting to about 50 cents per payment even if one in 10 taxpayers enrolls in automated billing. Taxpayers will also save a stamp and time potentially by paying online.?This allows you, for example, to pay with your smart phone,” Caron said.He said BillTrust?s automated payment system allows taxpayers to set a payment limit on their bill and noted that taxpayers can unsubscribe from automated payments if they want to return to paper payments.Tax bills mailed out last week are due on Nov. 1.