HARTFORD, Conn.: Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy does not plan to sign an executive order requiring towns to accept pre-payments of local property taxes so residents can deduct the payment from federal taxes before new changes take effect.
Ben Barnes, Malloy’s budget director, told municipal leaders in a letter that property tax collection is a local, not a state, matter and the question of allowing early payments is up to local officials.
“To be clear, we are not prohibiting local governments from accepting pre-payments of property taxes. Rather, we are leaving this decision to towns to make for their local property taxpayers,” said Kelly Donnelly, Malloy’s communications director.
Barnes also noted in his letter that it’s impractical for the governor to require municipalities to accept pre-payments because communities have not yet set tax rates for the new fiscal year, which begins July 1. The governors of New York and New Jersey have signed orders requiring the acceptance of pre-paid local taxes before a $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions goes into effect next year.
New York, however, has various starting dates for fiscal years in different jurisdictions.
Some Connecticut communities, such as New Canaan, are accepting early payments of real estate and motor vehicle taxes due on Jan. 1 for only the 2017-18 tax year.-AP
