Local Taxes Roll In As Deadline Approaches
Overall Real Estate, Personal Property Bills About The Same As Last Year
The deadline to pay annual tax bills is Saturday, Dec. 31 and citizens are urged to bring in their bills or drop them in the mail to avoid penalties.
Pike County Collector Marty Morrison pointed out the office will not be open before the deadline on either Saturday, Dec. 30 or Dec. 31. She added the office will also be closed on Christmas Day and the next day as well (Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 25 and 26). Payments postmarked by Dec. 30 will be accepted with no penalty.
“The largest percentage of taxes come in the last week,” Morrison noted. “We close the same days as the courthouse which includes the day after Christmas this year since Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday,” she explained.
The collector’s office hours are 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Morrison said the office has remained open through the lunch hour since bills were mailed and will continue for the first few days of January to make payments more convenient.
After the deadline, a percentage penalty is applied that compounds every month the bill is delinquent. Individuals can find a penalty schedule on the front of the bills.
Over the past few years, the collection rate has dipped slightly from more than 95 percent to around 92 percent of bills. County and municipal officials are hopeful this will be a better year to bolster tight budgets.
“The economy has definitely made a difference in collections the past few years.”
She added that a large percentage of the delinquency tends to be those who pay late rather than not at all.
“I think there are people who wait and use their federal income tax return,” Morrison remarked.
Overall, the county’s taxes are about the same as last year with all things considered. Real estate taxes are up just over $219,000. Railroad and utility receipts also rose by about $26,000. Personal property taxes are lower by around $244,000.
Collectively, the county billed over $15.6 million. A total of $7,914,685.80 was billed in real estate taxes and $3,689,410.46 was billed in personal property taxes. The railroad and utility receipts came in at $4,056,754.60 this year.
Morrison stressed the importance of checking bills for accuracy. She urged citizens to call the office immediately with any concerns.
“If someone failed to receive a bill or purchased property this year and didn’t receive a bill, it’s also very important that they call or stop by the office as soon as possible to avoid a penalty.”
The Collector’s office can be reached at 573-324-3281.
Local municipalities are also hard at work collecting tax bills before the Dec. 31 deadline. Those who failed to receive a municipal tax bill are urged to contact their local city hall to clarity the situation.
