Macomb Raises Fees for Those Who Charge Sizable Water, Tax Bills

If you use your credit card to pay a costly Macomb Township water and sewer or tax bill, you may notice a higher convenience fee. 

The Board of Trustees approved a resolution Sept. 26 that allows the township the ability to charge higher convenience fees to credit card users. The fee will be based on the amount that bill payer is charging. 

Credit card companies require merchants, in this case the township, pay fees in order to process transactions. The township charges $3.25 as a convenience fee to cover what it pays back to the credit card company. This fee is based on the average water and tax bill processed in the township. Lately, however, some have used credit cards to pay what treasurer Karen Goodhue calls “exorbitant” bills. 

“Somebody pays a $20,000 water bill with a credit card to get frequent flyer miles, well the township is then stuck a $1,000 credit card fee to pay. What she (Goodhue) wants to do is be able to recover that amount from the individual using that card,” said township attorney Lawrence Dloski.

The $3.25 fee is still in place, however, those who are charging a large bill will have to pay additional fees. Goodhue said her office will let users know what the convenience fee will be based on the amount that they are paying.  

A $1,000 cap will be placed on the amount that can be charged a person who uses a credit card to pay a large water/sewer or tax bill.

The township accepts Visa, Mastercard, and Discover to pay bills online or at a .