Meadville will not impose any fees, penalties for residents who pay taxes May 17

Mike Crowley, The Meadville Tribune, Pa.
·2 min read

Apr. 10—April 15 remains the deadline for paying local earned income taxes, but the City of Meadville will not impose any additional fees or penalties for residents who pay by May 17.

The deadlines for filing state and federal income taxes have been postponed from the usual April 15 until May 17 due to the pandemic.

"We as the city would not impose any additional fees or interest on any of those payments," said Meadville Finance Director Debbie Oldakowski.

Berkheimer Tax Administrator Inc., which collects taxes for the city of Meadville, Crawford Central School Board and numerous other taxing bodies across the state, also will not be collecting any fees or penalties for local earned income taxes paid between April 15 and May 17, Oldakowski said.

A message posted to the Berkheimer website notes the state and federal extension, as well as the lack of action on the deadline for local earned income taxes.

"We are awaiting guidance from the Governor's office on the extension of the local filing date," the statement reads. "Once we are made aware of that decision, further information will be posted on our website. We will not be charging late fees until after May 17, 2021."

Changing the deadline for the earned income taxes collected by the city would require action by City Council, former City Manager Andy Walker told the Tribune last month. The April 15 deadline is set by city law and adjusting it would require action by City Council. The deadline was not on the agenda at council's meeting Wednesday.

Last year, when the state and federal filing deadlines were postponed until July 15, Walker informed council that Berkheimer had "pushed back the local filing date for earned income tax returns to July 15 as well."

A message posted to the Berkheimer website at the time, the company stated it had postponed the deadline to match similar actions at the state and federal levels.

City Council passed a resolution last May to extend the deadline for payment of city real estate taxes. Council took no action to extend the deadline for local earned income taxes.

While Berkheimer is currently awaiting guidance from the Wolf administration, at least one agency says there is nothing it can do.

A notice posted to the Department of Community and Economic Development's webpage on local income tax information informs tax collectors that "DCED lacks the legal authority to extend the statutory local filing and payment deadline of April 15."

"Local governments," the notice continues, "may wish to consult with their solicitors on whether and how they might explore alternatives to waive interest and/or penalties for local tax filings and payments that are made on or before May 17, 2021, which is the extension for filing federal and state taxes."

Mike Crowley can be reached at 724-6370 or by email at mcrowley@meadvilletribune.com.