Tax
notices
mailed

By LEE HINNANT

Property owners in Columbus County received the perennial bad news this week when officials mailed 35,549 tax notices covering roughly 43,000 parcels.

Tax Administrator Richard Gore’s staff has put as many as five listings on each notice as a way to save on postage. He noted that the bills cover county property taxes, special assessments such as fire districts and rescue services, plus the solid waste fee. Most of the county’s 10 municipalities bill property owners separately.

The bills reflect a 3.5-cent tax increase approved by county commissioners last month, bringing the rate to 76.5 cents per $100 value. For the owner of a house and lot worth $100,000, that spells a tax increase of $35 this year, along with a $16 increase in the solid waste fee.

Bills paid by Aug. 31 qualify for a 2 percent discount.

Gore said taxpayers should start paying their bills right away so they won’t be left with a hefty tab in December.

“I want people to know that they don’t have to wait and pay it all at one time,” Gore said. “Start now. Come in and pay $20 a week if you like. You’ve got five months and we’ll take it any way you want to pay.”

There is no fee or interest charge as long as taxes are paid in full by Jan. 5, 2007. Gore said payments can be in any amount and at any frequency.

“The time to get started is now,” he said. “Don’t come in at the end of December and ask me to set up a payment plan.”

Taxes not paid by Jan. 5, 2007 are subject to a 2 percent penalty. Interest accrues at 0.75 percent a month beginning in February. After the March publication of unpaid taxes, property can be foreclosed and tax officials can start garnisheeing wages and bank accounts.

It is possible to pay taxes with a credit card or debit card but there is a 3 percent transaction fee.

Vehicles and business property tax notices are sent separately.