For the third year in a row, the Department of Local Government finance has announced that the majority of counties in Indiana have issued property tax bills on time. In 2008, no counties billed on time, but two counties did manage it in 2009.
Starke County Interim Treasurer Kasey Clark says they’ve been “way ahead of schedule” in issuing tax bills because they were prepared this year. Payments are due May 10, and the treasurer’s office will be closed on Tuesday, May 8. Anyone that needs to drop a payment off on that date can deliver them to a bank, or use the drop-box to make a payment.
Pulaski County Treasurer Sheryl DeGroot attributes their on-time billing to changes in state procedures, allowing her department to catch up and get the bills issued– although they did manage to issue them on time last year as well.
The DLGF says the increased efficiency in assessments and efforts from county auditors and treasurers have saved more than the county’s cost of conducting property assessments and issuing tax bills, allowing many of the 2500 local governments in Indiana to not need to borrow money because of irregular and unpredictable tax billings and collections.
Property tax bills had to be mailed by April 25, 2012. The department says taxpayers in Lake and LaPorte counties will receive their property tax bills later. Lake County officials expect to issue bills with a May 25, 2012 due date. LaPorte County is issuing provisional tax bills.
