The Columbian | Serving Clark County, Washington

Homeowners who are already accustomed to paying their utility and credit card bills online may be able to dispatch their property tax payments with a few mouse clicks as well under a bill that is headed to the governor’s office.

One catch: It will be up to each county treasurer whether to offer the electronic payment option.

Clark County Treasurer Doug Lasher says he’s all for it and his office will implement the program once it has new property tax software in place. Both the treasurer and the taxpayer will have to sign an agreement to have billings and payments processed electronically.

“This is a common occurrence in the business sector,” Lasher noted in a statement. Lasher also testified in Olympia for the bill, calling it “a milestone in terms of providing 21st-century, best-practices management for treasurers’ offices around the state.”

Electronic payments could save late-payment penalties and postage costs, Lasher said, and the option for monthly (or other periodic) payments would be an alternative for taxpayers who struggle to make two large semi-annual payments on their property tax bills.

House Bill 2962 authorizing the electronic payments was sponsored in the House by Rep. Tim Probst, D-Vancouver, and in the Senate by Sen. Craig Pridemore, D-Vancouver. It passed the Senate 35-12 on Wednesday after clearing the House Feb. 15 on a 76-22 vote.

Probst said it will “make life a little easier” for some taxpayers.

“Many people don’t have any option but to pay their property tax with a big check every six months,” he said. Under the new law, those homeowners will still have to pay their taxes in full by the April 30 and October 31 due dates.

The bill had bipartisan support in the Clark County delegation. Those voting for it included Democratic Reps. Deb Wallace, Jim Moeller and Jim Jacks and Republican Reps. Ed Orcutt and Jaime Herrera and Sens. Joe Zarelli and Jim Honeyford.

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