MARCH 1 DEADLINE APPROACHES FOR ASSESSMENT LISTS

JACKSON - Cape Girardeau County Assessor Jerry Reynolds is urging taxpayers to mail their 1992 personal property tax assessment lists.

The lists were mailed just after the first of the year. According to a new state law, if the lists are not returned by March 1, the assessor is required to add a 5 percent per month penalty to the assessments.

Under the old law, assessors had the option of doubling the assessment of taxpayers who did not respond by April 1. Reynolds did not use the option of doubling the assessment, but under the new law, the assessor may double assessments if a fraudulent list is filed.

Reynolds said Wednesday a large number of lists have been returned, probably more than at this point in previous years. However, he said, "There will be a bunch of them not turned in.

"I am making no extensions because I don't think there is any discretion under the law to do it."

Reynolds said he will accept any list that is postmarked by March 1.

Under the new law, the assessor is required to impose a 5 percent per month penalty through December.

The law also provides for the county commission and prosecutor to take action against the assessor for failure to impose the penalty. The county can recover a penalty from the assessor of $50 per case.

Reynolds said there are at least four bills in the General Assembly this year to change the law.

Anyone who has a question about an assessment list can call one of the assessor's offices. The office in Cape Girardeau is located in the Common Pleas Courthouse Annex, and the phone number is 334-8876; the office in Jackson is in the county administration building, and the number is 243-2468.

About 25,500 personal property tax assessment lists were mailed out in Cape Girardeau County.