Property Tax Bill Choice: Paper or Plastic

SANTA ANA — Beginning in November, county residents will be able to use credit cards to pay property tax bills under a new automated telephone system that eventually may be expanded to include other fees and fines.

The system enables taxpayers to cover their twice-yearly bills by punching the keys on a touch-tone phone. It is similar to a service now used by local courts to collect ticket fines and other payments.

Flashing plastic might be convenient, but it will also be more costly than paying by check. The service charge for an average property tax payment will range from $11 to $29.

The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the system Tuesday, though some members said they weren’t enthusiastic about encouraging residents to take on more debt.

“The interest rates could be high for people using it,” Supervisor Jim Silva said.

But other supervisors and county officials insisted the system simply provides taxpayers with another payment option.

“This is a choice,” said Treasurer-Tax Collector John M.W. Moorlach, whose department will operate the service. “It provides more flexibility . . . [and] benefits the taxpayers.”

Officials will spend the next few months installing and testing the software for the system. At first, it will accept only MasterCard and Discover cards, but officials hope to eventually add Visa and perhaps other credit cards.

With all the incentive packages that credit card companies offer customers, some supervisors suggested that even taxpayers with enough money to cover their tax bills might opt to pay with plastic.

“Some people might use it to get the airline frequent-flier miles,” Board Chairman Roger R. Stanton quipped.