Isle of Wight County’s real estate tax bills are still due June 5, but late fees won’t apply until after Aug. 3.

That was what Isle of Wight County’s Board of Supervisors decided last week. 

According to Assistant County Administrator Don Robertson, the delay in imposing penalties is for the benefit of residents whose incomes may have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in reduced hours and closures of many local and regional businesses.

Robertson added that county residents who are experiencing financial difficulty can also contact the county treasurer’s office to enter into a payment plan, which would allow them to pay their taxes in installments.

At a previous meeting, Isle of Wight’s supervisors also authorized the suspension of utility cutoffs for non-payment of bills for the duration of the county’s state of local emergency.