COUNTY TAX PAYMENTS BEGIN ROLLING IN

JACKSON -- Conscientious taxpayers are rushing to the Cape Girardeau County collector's office, responding to the call to pay this year's real estate and personal property bills.

The second rush will be the week after Christmas, Collector Harold Kuehle predicted, but people who wait that long may be setting themselves up for trouble. They may wait to examine their tax bills and discover errors, which means they must visit the county assessor's office, get the errors fixed and get the changes approved.

It is better to come early to the County Administration Building in Jackson or to the Common Pleas Courthouse Annex in Cape Girardeau, Kuehle said. People also may mail their checks and money orders in the return envelopes provided.

Anyone who owns real estate or personal property and hasn't received a bill by the end of next week should call the collector's office. Kuehle stressed that everyone who owns real estate is going to pay a tax on it, whether or not they received a tax bill.

"It happens every year: Someone buys some property this year, doesn't get a tax bill, and thinks that the previous owner paid the taxes," said Kuehle. "Then the new owner is stuck with interest and penalties."

Taxes are delinquent Jan. 1. The interest is 2 percent added monthly -- 2 percent in January, 4 percent in February and so on up to 18 percent -- plus a 2 percent penalty. The interest goes to the taxing authorities, and the penalty stays with the county.

Cape County residents have an excellent record of paying taxes -- only 6 or 7 percent go unpaid each year, and those primarily are from people who move out of the state or die, Kuehle said.

Any county tax questions can be answered by calling the collector's office at 243-4476.