Housewarming gift

Ascension Lutheran Church is fundraising to purchase a “housewarming gift” for the new residents of the Zephyr housing complex, which recently opened in Grantville. Zephyr houses previously homeless veterans and the church is raising funds to install flagpoles that will hold flags from all the branches of the U.S. military.

People interested in making a tax-deductible donation toward the flags and flagpoles, can call 619-582-2636; visit ascension-church.com; or send a check to 5106 Zion Ave., San Diego, CA 92120. Credit card donations can be made to bit.ly/2HUC3Y1.

San Diego water utility ranked near bottom

According to research by J.D. Power, the city of San Diego ranks second to last in customer satisfaction for city water utilities in the Western region.

According to a report released on May 8, San Diego scored only 679 points out of a possible 1,000 for customer satisfaction. Only San Jose Water Company scored lower with 676 points. The San Gabriel Valley Water Company scored highest with a score of 749.

To view the full report, visit bit.ly/2Vbu5xl.

Local restaurants lend a ‘Day of Giving’

San Diego Humane Society’s (SDHS) fourth annual Day of Giving, one of SDHS’s largest fundraising events, will be held on Thursday, June 27.

Thanks to $150,000 in matching gifts, all donations made for Day of Giving up to that amount will be doubled. SDHS’s three campuses will host kids’ activities and animal encounters throughout the day, offer free microchips and waive adoption fees for all animals.

Also, local businesses are showing their support by donating a percentage of sales.

Anthony’s Fish Grotto, a premier seafood restaurant in La Mesa, has pledged to give 5% of all proceeds on Thursday, June 27. The family-owned and -operated DiMille’s Italian Restaurant in Normal Heights is a proud supporter of Day of Giving and has pledged to donate 20%. And Corbin’s Q, a local barbecue shop near SDSU that serves the communities of Rolando, Del Cerro and La Mesa, will donate 10% of all proceeds. All three restaurants are frequented by dog owners because of their pet-friendly patio areas. Other restaurants include local Luna Grill locations and Anthem Vegan in North Park.

The Day of Giving event has a goal of raising $500,000 for SDHS programs and shelters.

Businesses interested in supporting Day of Giving should contact Bobbie Barnes at [email protected]. Also, the sddayofgiving.org website features heartwarming stories of animals saved with community support.

36,000 late property tax bills face more penalties

San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister began sending 36,489 notices on May 29 to property owners who did not pay all their 2018-2019 property taxes. The notices warn owners that they face more penalties if the bills are not paid by June 30.

“On July 1, any unpaid bill will go into default and will receive another 1.5% penalty each month,” said McAllister. “That penalty amounts to 18% per year. I want to save people this hefty fine and encourage them to pay their bills as soon as possible.”

Property taxes are due in two installments — the first in December and the second in April. Each late installment has already incurred a 10% penalty, plus a $10 fee if the second installment was late.

The total of late taxes due is $109 million. The Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office (TTC) mailed 3,000 more late notices this year compared to last, when $87 million in property taxes was due before the June 30 default deadline.

So far, the TTC has collected 99.2% of first installments and 97.5% of second installmen May 10 – June 13, 2019 ts.

“For that past two years, we had a collection rate of 99.2%, which means most San Diegans take the responsibility to pay their taxes seriously,” McAllister said. “We want to give the small percentage of those who haven’t paid one more chance.”

Property owners can pay their bills immediately online at sdttc.com, where free e-check is the fastest and easiest way to pay. Begin your online payment well before the June 30 midnight deadline to make sure the payment is on time.

Threat of increased penalties is not the only incentive for people to pay their taxes. Under California state law, the TTC may sell properties that have been in default for five years.