Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Executive Director of Parks, Buildings, and Recreational Management (PBRM) Patrick Sullivan, and Collector/Treasurer Christopher Caputo announce that the City of Springfield has set up a tent in the parking lot behind City Hall for residents to pay their current city taxes outside at a window counter starting Thursday, March 4, 2021.
The three window counters will be stationed by the Collectors Office to receive all current taxes, including Motor Vehicle (Excise), Property (Real Estate), and Personal Property payments. Motor Vehicle Excise taxes are due Monday, March 8, 2021. Payments on Delinquent taxes and parking tickets will be directed inside City Hall to the Collectors Office for payment.
The temporary tent is being set up per the City of Springfield’s COVID-19 public health guidelines for the safety of our residents and city staff. In addition, this is being done to help reduce the foot traffic inside City Hall as the City is still following all COVID-19 public health and safety measures.
Historically the City’s Collectors Office experiences long lines when tax bills are due. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, customers cannot be allowed to line up inside City Hall.
To avoid the lines, where customers might find themselves waiting outside City Hall in potentially inclement weather, the City of Springfield is strongly encouraging residents to conduct their city related business online or by mail, if possible.
Customers can go to the city’s website at www.springfield-ma.gov/paytaxes to pay current or delinquent taxes.
Please note, you must select the Bill type (Motor Vehicle Excise, Real Estate Taxes, Personal Property, or Trash Fee) and enter the bill number and relevant information to review your bill before making a payment.
There is no fee for payments made using direct transfer from checking accounts. Payments can also be made by mail with a check or money order.
Mayor Sarno states, “I want to thank PBRM Director Patrick Sullivan and his facility team, and Collector-Treasurer Chris Caputo and his team for their continued efforts in making city services as accessible as possible during this ongoing COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic. Since day one, the city has never stopped working for our residents. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, the City of Springfield, much like everything and everyone else, has had to adapt and adjust our operations and procedures to keep City Hall open and core services running. As we are still following all public health and safety guidelines, we need to maintain safe social distancing within City Hall for everyone’s safety – both for our residents and our City Hall staff. I want to thank everyone for their continued patience and understanding as we continue to work together during these challenging and surreal times. We will get through this pandemic, stronger and together as one.”
Collector/Treasurer Caputo stated, “Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic I would like to encourage residents to continue to do as much of their business online or by mail. For those who have to conduct their business in person, the City has made these accommodations to help ease the increase traffic flow when taxes are due. By having these two payment locations available, current tax payments outside and delinquent and parking ticket payments inside, we can direct our customers to the appropriate location and thus decrease the potential of having long lines that we would usually have.”
Executive Director of PBRM Sullivan stated, “I am proud of our city team’s collaborative response during this COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic. Under Mayor Sarno’s leadership, the City of Springfield has addressed and responded to this difficult situation with the utmost thought and compassion for our residents. This temporary tent set up for our Collectors Office, which will help our residents to pay their current tax bills and decrease the traffic flow in City Hall, is yet another example of the City proactively thinking of the public health and safety needs of our residents and City Hall staff. Besides erecting the tent, our dedicated facility team has installed special window counters, safety plexiglass, portable space heaters, and jersey barriers.”
For additional information, customers can call the city’s 311 Call Center at (413) 736-3111 or visit the city’s website at www.springfield-ma.gov
