Milwaukee City Treasurer Wayne F. Whittow announced today that his office would be mailing more than 165,000 combined property tax bills to city taxpayers.

Whittow expects most taxpayers to receive their bills on Saturday or Monday. Taxpayers that do not receive property tax bills by Wednesday are encouraged to contact the Customer Services Division at (414) 286-2240 and request a duplicate.

Whittow also warned that the City Hall Restoration Project has led to a loss of parking spots around City Hall, the closing of Market Street and the relocation of handicapped parking from N. Market Street to N. Broadway.

In order to avoid the parking challenges around City Hall, Whittow suggests taxpayers:

1. Mail in their tax payments using the return remittance envelope enclosed with the tax bills.

2. Enroll in the electronic funds transfer installment payment plan. The enrollment form is available on the Internet on the Office of the City Treasurer Home Page.

3. To pay their taxes in full using the electronic payment options available at the Office of the City Treasurer Home Page.

From Monday through Dec. 31, a limited amount of 15-minute street parking will be available on Water St. between E. Wells Street and E. State Street and on E. Kilbourn Ave. and E. Wells Street from Water Street to Broadway.

Validated parking will also be available at the Milwaukee Center Parking Garage, located at North Water Street and East Kilbourn Avenue at a discounted rate up to a maximum of five hours.

Taxpayers will need to have their Milwaukee Center Parking Garage ticket validated at the City Hall Information Booth to qualify for the reduced rate. Questions or concerns regarding available street parking around City Hall, or validated parking at the Milwaukee Center Parking Garage, should be directed to the Department of Public Works, (414) 286-3261.

A drop box is available inside the Market Street entrance to the City Hall seven days a week, 24 hours a day. A second drop box is also available inside the Broadway Street entrance to the Frank P. Zeidler Municipal Building, but can only be accessed during regular business hours when the City Treasurer's Office is open.

Taxpayers should not deposit cash payments in either of these drop boxes. Tax payments deposited in these drop boxes will normally be credited on the following business day.

The Department of Public Works will maintain access to the City Hall through the Frank P. Zeidler Municipal Building during regular business hours when the City Treasurer's Office is open. Signage and directional tape will direct taxpayers from the first floor lobby of the Zeidler Municipal Building over to the City Treasurer's Office payment area on the first floor of City Hall.

The City Treasurer's Office will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office will also be open from 8 a.m. to noon on Christmas Eve, but will be closed Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday (Jan. 19). The office will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Jan. 31, the last property tax due date.