Most of Kosciusko County's property tax rates are in.

With those in hand, Kosciusko County Auditor Sue Ann Mitchell said the county hopes to mail out the tax bills next week. They will be due Nov. 24.

Mitchell said she expects the actual tax bills will be available on the Internet today.

For five taxing entities in the county, tax rates still are not available. Because Washington, Jackson and Monroe townships and the towns of Pierceton and Sidney cross the county line with Whitko School Corp., and because Whitley County is behind in the reassessment, it is unknown when those taxing entities will receive their tax bills.

"The Whitley County folks," Mitchell said, "we don't have a clue." She said she hopes to get their tax bills out by late December, but the due date will not be until sometime in 2004 as the county council did not want the tax bills to come due at Christmas time.

"That we already know," she said.

Overall, Mitchell said, she thinks people will be fairly surprised by the tax bills. They either are considerably less or considerably more, she said, and "more have gone down than gone up."

While she had no real numbers to go by during an interview Friday, Mitchell said, since she just got the tax rates, lake properties "definitely made the biggest increases."

The most significant thing Mitchell said she gleaned from the tax rates is that Wawasee School Corp.'s rate is considerably less compared to the other school corporations' rates. The reasoning behind that, she said, is that Turkey Creek and Tippecanoe townships' assessed values went up more than other townships in the county because of all the lake properties.

The bottom line of tax rates is that last year, Kosciusko County received $11 million in property tax replacement and homestead credits.

"This year," she said, "they should receive $22 million."

As for exemptions, Mitchell said, property owners should remember to come in and file their exemptions. If they have already filed them, that credit should be listed online.

For 2003 pay 2004, Mitchell said, there is an expectation that the state plans to extend the exemptions deadline to Dec. 1. That decision by the state legislators likely will be made around Nov. 18.

As for appeals, Mitchell said, some taxing entities' deadlines to appeal the assessed values have not yet passed - "any but Tippecanoe, Turkey, Wayne and Plain" townships.

If a property owner does not receive a tax bill, Mitchell and county treasurer Stephanie Esenwein suggest the following advice: If you have access, check online first. The online site is available 24 hours a day.

To check your tax bill, follow these instructions:

Go online to www.kcgov.com

Click on "Online Services" and then click on "GIS maps." Click "I agree."

Pick "Search" and search by address, owner, key number, tax number or section township range. Type your last name first and first name last.

Click on "Search." That will take you to the details of the property. Pick "Auditor's office tax billing report" and then pick "2003 (2002 tax year)."

Exemptions are in the upper right corner; tax bills are in the lower right.

If you don't have access or have questions, call or e-mail sooner rather than later. Don't wait until five days before taxes are due to contact the county. If you get a busy signal, try again. If you reach a recording, leave a message and someone will get back to you.

To e-mail, write to [email protected]

To call, phone 372-2323.

Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. [[In-content Ad]]