21st Most Populous County in U.S. Completes Seamless Transition to PaymentExpress for Improved Efficiency and Constituent Service
Alameda County's Treasurer-Tax Collector, Henry Levy, has gone live with PaymentExpress, a comprehensive payment processing platform from Grant Street Group, just in time for the property tax collection season. The platform went live on September 28, 2025, enabling residents to pay property taxes through expanded payment channels, including in-person, online, phone (Interactive Voice Response), and digital wallets.
With over $283 million in payments processed in the first month alone, the new system is already demonstrating its capacity to handle the County's high-volume tax season.
The platform brings PCI-DSS Level 1 certified security and expanded payment options to Alameda County’s 1.6 million residents while maintaining the reliability taxpayers expect during peak tax season.
"The implementation was remarkably smooth with minimal disruption to our operations," said Elvia Quiroga, Chief Deputy Tax Collector. "Grant Street Group worked around our busy tax season and kept us informed throughout the process.”
Benefits for Alameda County Taxpayers:
- Modern Payment Methods: Popular digital wallets, including PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, for faster, more convenient payments alongside credit cards, debit cards, and e-checks (ACH)
- Multi-Channel Access: Pay online from any device, in-person at county offices, or via phone through the IVR system, providing flexibility and convenience
- Enhanced Payment Security: Advanced e-check validation reduces payment errors and fraud, and is supported by PCI-DSS Level 1 certification to safeguard sensitive financial data
- ADA Compliance: Fully accessible payment experience meeting federal accessibility standards, ensuring equitable service for all residents regardless of ability
Benefits for Alameda County Staff:
- Streamlined Operations: Modern PIN pad terminals and integrated payment processing reduce manual handling, freeing staff for higher-value constituent services
- Real-Time Reconciliation: Comprehensive reporting provides immediate visibility into payment activity, reducing daily operations and month-end close time
- Reduced Payment Errors: Advanced e-check validation decreases returned payments, reducing staff time spent on payment corrections
- Robust Reporting and Data Visualization: Advanced analytics provide deeper insights into payment trends, constituent behavior, and operational performance
- Better Constituent Support: Staff can preview the entire taxpayer journey, from completed payments to payment issues and trends, to resolve inquiries faster
"Everything came together seamlessly," said Elna Billena-Escobal, Finance Manager. "All teams, including our IT department, our Tax Collector staff and Grant Street Group worked together exceptionally well. This sets a new standard for technology transitions in Alameda County."
The Treasurer-Tax Collector implementation represents the first phase of an enterprise-wide contract between Alameda County and Grant Street Group. Additional County departments are preparing to launch PaymentExpress in the coming months.
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For more information, contact John McCarthy at (412) 246-1321 or via email John.McCarthy@GrantStreet.com.
About Grant Street Group
Grant Street Group specializes in cloud-based government solutions for tax collection, e-payments, and auctions. Every year, we process over $67 billion in tax payments and over $33 billion in e-payments. Over the past 25 years, Grant Street has hosted online auctions of financial instruments exceeding $13 trillion. Our innovative software products help government entities enhance service delivery, efficiency, and operational excellence.