The Inyo County Board of Supervisors approved a voluntary program to allow property owners to pay property taxes in monthly installments via automated clearing house (ACH) or by credit card.

County staff described the program — referred to during the meeting as “Easy SmartPay” — as an optional service that lets taxpayers set up recurring payments to spread property-tax liability across the year. Staff said an ACH debit carries no county fees; credit-card payments are permitted but include a card fee, which the presenter said would be about 1.99 percent and is lower than the county’s current third‑party processing fee.

Staff emphasized the program is voluntary and requires sign-up in advance of a tax due date (officials said taxpayers should allow at least seven days to enroll before a payment deadline). Board members and staff described the tool as useful to households on fixed incomes and as an administrative efficiency for the Treasurer/Tax Collector’s office. The motion to implement the payment option carried unanimously.

No changes to tax rates or assessments were made at the meeting; the program covers only timing and payment-method options for existing property-tax obligations.