The tax facts: Tax assessor explains both scenarios

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GONZALES — When the city tax man cometh, will he want more or less of your money? That looks to be decided with the March 16 rollback election that will be put forth to Gonzales voters. What it all means has been explained in brief by Tax Assesor-Collector Crystal Cedillo.

Two things will happen on “Election Day Number One” in Gonzales this year (not to be confused with the Election Day Number Two, the May 4 mayoral election). The rollback will either pass or fail.

If the rollback fails, Cedillo said, nothing will need to be done with your current bills on the tax roll. The city's tax rate will remain at .3050 per $100 of property valuation.

But if the rollback passes, a new tax rate of .2248 per $100 of property valuation will go into effect. Cedillo notes three points that will come into play if the new rates are adopted through public mandate.

First, her office will have to get the tax collection software to change the rate in their tax system with any costs associated with this paid by the city. Second, her office will print and mail new statements for accounts with balances due to those only containing the city tax. The postage and printing costs for that will be billed to the city. And third, refunds will be processed — using handwritten checks — and mailed to all individuals who have already paid their 2018 city tax. Again, postage and printing costs will be billed to the city.

But if your refund is less that $1, the refund will only be sent upon request of the taxpayer. Said taxpayer must apply for the refund of less than $1 within 90 days after the date it becomes due or they forfeit their right to the refund.

In short, if the rollback passes, you will be getting a refund on your tax bill depending on the amount of property you own and depending on if you have already paid. For example, on the current rate, a $100,000 home would require $305 in taxes for the year. If dropped, that tax rate would be only $224.80, a savings of $80.20.

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