Finance Department
Finance Tax Update:
New Tax Bills for July 1 2022 to June 30 2023 will be in the mail by 7/19/2022
Town of Hartford Property Tax Bills will be mailed on or before Tuesday July 19, 2022, and the first installment is due by 5pm on Friday August 19, 2022. Payments received with a USPS postmark of August 19, 2022, or before will be considered timely. The second installment is due by 5pm on Friday February 10, 2023. Payments received with a USPS of February 10, 2023, or before will be considered timely. The mailing address for payments is 171 Bridge Street White River Jct., VT 05001.
Make a payment for Property Tax, Water & Sewer, Miscellaneous Bills, and/or Commercial Landfill Bills.
Responsibilities
The Finance Department is responsible for the administration of the town's daily financial activities. Included in our department are these many functions:
- Administration of the operating budgets for the various funds of the town
- Assisting members of the general public with any finance questions or problems they may have
- Billing and collection of landfill user fees
- Billing and collection of property taxes
- Collection of other revenues of the town
- Collection of water and wastewater user charges
- Payment to vendors for products and services provided to the town
- Preparation of payroll for town employees
- Reporting of the operating results to the taxpayers and voters of the town
Treasurer's Duties
The Hartford Town Treasurer duties are as follows:
- Custodian of funds
- Signatory of accounts, reviews bank statements, acts as liaison to bank
- Reviews AP, payroll, and other expenditures - approves payment
- Assures Warrant items approved by the Selectboard and the School Board are paid
- As Tax Collector reviews processing by Finance Department, discharges delinquencies to Delinquent Tax Collector, answers tax-payer inquiries as they arise
Treasurer's Mission Statement
"To provide efficient, accurate and professional tax information and services to the taxpayers of Hartford"
About the Treasurer Position
The town treasurer is elected for a 3-year term and also serves as the Town School District Treasurer. Our town does not pay the treasurer on a fee basis, but votes to compensate the treasurer through the town budget process.
Responsibilities
The town treasurer is responsible for the collection of current taxes. As collector of current taxes, the treasurer must keep separate accounts for town and school monies. The treasurer sends out notices to each individual taxpayer, stating the taxpayer's grand list value, tax rate, the amount of taxes payable, and when they are due. The bill includes the following notice:
Unpaid taxes are subject to interest at 1% per month through April. Interest increases in May to 1.5% per month. A penalty of 8% is charged after the February due date on any unpaid balances. These charges are established by statutes and the voters of the Town of Hartford. Within 20 days after the due date, the treasurer shall issue a warrant against the delinquent taxpayers for the taxes remaining unpaid to the collector of delinquent taxes. The original warrant is filed with the Town Clerk.
Record Keeping
The treasurer shall keep an account of moneys, bonds, notes and evidence of debt paid or delivered to him/her, and of moneys paid out by him/her for the town and the town school district, which accounts shall at all time be open to the inspection of persons interested. Moneys received by the town treasurer for the town can be invested by the treasurer. The treasurer receives the bill for the county tax assessment and within the time required on the warrant, pays the sum. The treasurer shall maintain good records, so as to provided historical facts for budgetary purposes.
The treasurer's records are available for audit purposes at any time. The town and school district are audited once a year by outside CPA firms.
The treasurer is required to post a bond, which is done through the town. The treasurer may appoint an assistant town treasurer and may revoke any such appointment at any time.
Department of Finance & Town Treasurer's Office
Hartford Municipal Building
171 Bridge Street
White River Junction, VT 05001
Phone: 802-295-3002
Fax: 802-295-6382
Hours
Monday - Friday
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
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