CLAYTON — Delayed mail delivery caused by winter weather has led to a slow-down in ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ County tax payment processing, the county revenue director said Thursday.
Checks sent by mail got caught up in the postal delay, revenue Director Tony Smee said in a news release. More than 400,000 personal and property tax payments are made by check, and largely sent to the county via the U.S. Postal Service.
The county offers free , a more reliable method when winter weather hits, Smee said.
The revenue department often receives tens of thousands of tax payments per week in tax payment season. But it didn’t receive any mail last week, and only a few thousand this week — many postmarked early December.
The county isn’t alone. Residents across the region have reported sporadic mail delivery, or none at all, since a winter storm dropped several inches of snow and ice just after the New Year.
The revenue department was already struggling with a lack of staff, but had added contract and seasonal workers, plus extended hours.
“But we can’t process mailed payments that we don’t receive,†Smee said, “and we can’t process them efficiently when we get 25,000 in two days, and none on other days. It’s just not possible.â€
Smee hopes to get through a backlog by the end of this month. Meanwhile, the county won’t impose penalties or interest on accounts with payments postmarked by Dec. 31. The fees might appeal online, but will be reversed once payments are applied.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Post Office, Tara Jarrett, said "the snow and ice continue to make deliveries difficult."
People in south ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ city experienced the aftermath of a major winter storm that left snow- and sleet-covered roads, cars, and homes, but also made hills perfect for sledding on Jan. 6, 2025. Video by Allie Schallert, aschallert@post-dispatch.com
