County tax deadline looms

By Chris Fortune

The payment deadline for personal property taxes arrives Tuesday in Buchanan County, and residents are heading to the courthouse to make their payments on time.

County tax payments must be paid or postmarked by the United States Postal Service by Dec. 31 to be considered on time.

“It’s already posted at the post office that they will be closing at noon on the 31,” Peggy Campbell, Buchanan County’s collector of revenue, said. “There was a sign on the door when I went to pick up my mail. So you’ve got to be in the post office before noon on the 31st to get that postmark.”

Residents also can visit the collector’s office in person at the Buchanan County courthouse at 411 Jules St. to make a payment. Many residents waited in a line stretching from the office in the west wing to the courthouse rotunda on Monday morning.

“I knew there’d be a line,” Mary Jo Harris said. “I didn’t quite know it was going to be this long, but that’s all right. It is moving fairly fast.”

Campbell said it is not unusual to have a long line several times during the tax-collecting season, and residents have been patient as they wait.

“There’s two windows going at all times, so we’re getting there as quickly as we can,” she said. “As long as people are ready with their statements and their payment they choose to use, they’re in and out pretty quickly.”

Late payments face an immediate penalty of 11%, with that escalating by 2% each month. It’s a penalty Harris chose to avoid when she brought her grandson with her to learn about the responsibility.

“I brought my grandson, who’s 16, and I just wanted him to see this whole process and explain what personal property taxes were,” Harris said. “So it’s kind of a learning experience for him.”

The courthouse opens at 8 a.m. on Dec. 31 and will close at 5 p.m. Collector’s office workers will process payments until the last person in line is taken care of.