Property tax bills altogether totaling nearly $72 million are in the mail, Kosciusko County Treasurer Sue Ann Mitchell told county council Thursday. That includes $307,000 in taxes on mobile homes, though she noted a third as much is still overdue from last year. “It’s something we’re working really hard on in my office, to try to get additional letters out to them,” she told council members. “While it may not seem like much money, it’s the principle,” and eventually many of those property owners will have to pay, she added. Some mobile home owners owe as much as $4,500 to $5,000, she said. The county can take certain actions for long-delinquent mobile home payments, she also noted, though it hasn’t been done before. “We do have the ability to sell them, and I’m wondering if that’s not the right way to go,” she said. “We’re trying to make them aware that’s something that’s coming down the pipe.” Mitchell said this morning she also found it interesting that 1,300 mortgage companies are being billed a total of $7 million this year. She said it’s surprising to find that many homes are escrowed in the county. The total billed amount this year is higher than last year’s $70 million, which Mitchell attributed this morning to changing rates as well as events like Syracuse’s annexation of homes surrounding Oakwood Inn. Those homeowners’ rates went from 0.7455 to 1.7548 per $100 of assessed value. But there’s no clear trend up or down, since this year’s billed total is below the $73.6 million of 2011. Property tax payments must be postmarked by May 10; she suggested anyone waiting until that day take the letter into the post office rather than leaving it in a drop box. And while a formal installment plan would be cost-prohibitive, she said her office does have a policy of accepting partial payments until the balance is met. Payments can be made in person at the treasurer’s office in the county courthouse, room 215, or mailed to P.O. Box 1764, Warsaw, IN 46581. A drop box will be installed soon outside the west entrance of the courthouse. Taxes also may be paid at Crossroads, Campbell & Fetter, PNC, Mutual Federal, Tower Bank, Lake City and Farmers State Bank, Mitchell said in a release Thursday. They can be paid online with a credit card or debit card at www.kosciuskotax.net with a 2.95 percent fee. Credit and debit cards also may be used by calling 800-809-5849, with a 3.95 percent fee. Credit and debit cards also may be used in the treasurer’s office with a 2.95 percent fee. TS1 forms, which give information on the property’s assessed value, exemptions/deductions and ditches as well as a comparison to the prior year’s property tax obligation, will be mailed with bills. Pink Homestead Credit verification forms will not be mailed with bills since they do not need to be re-filed annually. If taxpayers are currently receiving a Homestead Credit on their property but should not be, they must contact the auditor’s office to avoid penalties. Taxpayers who need to file for the Homestead Credit or any other exemption should contact the auditor’s office at 100 W. Center St., room 220, or by phone 574-372-2316. Tax information is available at the Kosciusko County website at www.kcgov.com by selecting “Beacon Online Mapping” in the left margin. Taxpayers with questions on their tax bills may contact the treasurer’s office at 574-372-2372. Also during the meeting, council members approved the reappointment of Stu Lambert to the Lakeland Regional Sewer District board, and councilman Jon Garber will serve on the Warsaw Community Development Corp. board. They also approved transfers of $5,469.74 from insurance payment to repairs and maintenance in the highway fund, and $660 from county general/insurance payment to repairs and maintenance in the sheriff’s department fund. And they approved an additional appropriation of $4,179.99 for building rental in the county health clinic administrative fund. The money will come from Medicaid reimbursement.
