Collector’s Office mails out Johnson County tax statements

Nov. 05--WARRENSBURG -- Johnson County residents should have received their 2018 tax statements that were mailed out last week, Oct. 28 through Nov. 3, County Collector Ruthane Small said. Taxes are due by Dec. 31.

Taxpayers should review the statements to ensure all property, especially vehicles on personal property, is listed correctly, she said.

Anyone who has questions about the property listed, values or corrections to the tax bills should contact the Assessor's Office at (660) 747-9822, as the Collector's Office cannot make any changes or corrections.

For questions about payment, paid receipts or the summary sheet, contact the Collector's Office at (660) 747-5531.

Johnson County generated 43,504 personal property and real estate bills for 2018, 558 more than last year, Small said.

Tax statements total $40,860, about $1.9 million more than 2017 taxes, with about $723,800 of that due to a 27-cent per $100 levy increase for the Johnson County Fire Protection District No. 1, she said. The 1,145 voters in the district who cast ballots in the April election authorized the increase in a 590 to 555 vote.

District officials said the increase would go to help pay increased operating expenses, hire additional daytime firefighters at district headquarters who will be immediately available to respond to calls and add a fire station on Southeast Y Highway to provide better coverage for the area and help to lower insurance costs for residents.

For additional information on the tax increase call the district at (660) 747-5220 or visit the website at www.jcfpd.net.

Other changes in tax bills may be due to a change in automobiles or improvements to real estate property, she said.

Taxes are based on the assessed value assigned by the Assessor's Office and the levies set by each taxing district. Districts cannot raise a levy above the approved ceiling without a vote by district residents. The certified levy is multiplied by each $100 of assessed valuation to determine the tax for both real estate and personal property.

Taxpayers have four ways to pay their taxes in Johnson County: in person at the Annex, by mail, drop box at two locations or online at www.jcmtax.com.

Drive-up drop boxes are located at the northwest corner of the courthouse square, with collections made daily, and at 1310 S. Maguire St.

For security reasons, the Collector's Office does not accept payments by phone, Small said.

Payment methods include cash, check, money order, credit card or debit card. Due to high risk and fraud, the office does not accept checks provided by a credit card company,

she said.

An authorization form is on the back of the tax statement for those who choose to mail a payment using a credit card. Payments received by mail are deemed paid as of the postmark date stamped. Payments not stamped by Dec. 31 will incur a penalty.

Regular hours for the Collector's Office in the Johnson County South Annex, 1310 S. Maguire St., are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, including through the lunch hour. The office also will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, and Saturday, Dec. 29.

The office has three drive-through lanes for tax payments and ground-level entry with plenty of parking.

Small said the new building, purchased with unused collector fees and tax maintenance fees turned over to General Revenue by her office, has generated much positive comment from residents.

On the Friday prior to the Dec. 31 deadline last year, she said, 220 people paid taxes via the drive-through and some 500 more came into the building to pay.

"I think there will be even more this year," Small said.

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