(a) The rates of discounts and penalties on taxes shall be established by the taxing district. All taxpayers subject to the payment of taxes, assessed by any taxing district, shall be entitled to a discount of at least two per centum from the amount of such tax upon making payment of the whole amount thereof within two months after the date of the tax notice. All taxpayers, who shall fail to make payment of any such taxes charged against them for four months after the date of the tax notice, shall be charged a penalty of up to ten per centum which penalty shall be added to the taxes by the tax collector and be collected by him. The provisions of this section shall apply to cities of the second class A.

(b) If a taxpayer has not paid taxes on real estate within four months after the date of the tax notice, the tax collector shall send by first class mail the following notice in bold print capital letters to the taxpayer:

(c) Failure to receive notice as required by subsection (b) shall not relieve any taxpayer from the payment of any taxes imposed by any taxing district.

(d) For purposes of determining if payment is timely made in order either to qualify for a discount or to avoid a penalty, the following shall apply:

(e) A tax collector shall not refuse to accept payment tendered or postmarked by the United States Postal Service by December 31, but nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting the authority of a tax collector to set a date, not earlier than December 15, after which personal checks will no longer be accepted for payment of taxes and penalty.

(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, for the school year that begins July 1, 2020, the board of directors of a school district may by majority vote, by resolution, extend the time period that qualifies taxpayers for a discount or waive a penalty for failure to make timely payment of any such taxes on real estate charged against them, or both. If a board of school directors of a school district adopts such resolution, the school board shall immediately deliver the resolution to the tax collector via mail or electronic mail and the tax collector shall, in consultation with the board of school directors, modify the contents of the notice required under subsection (b) accordingly and may send an additional notice explaining the provisions of such resolution.