PROVIDING PROOF OF TAX PAYMENT MAY BE EASER AT FEE OFFICES

When it comes time to renew motor vehicle licenses, one of the biggest hassles many people face is coming up with their personal property tax receipt.

That often requires a trip home to get it or a side trip to the county collector's office for a duplicate receipt.

But now, thanks to a new Missouri Department of Revenue computer system being installed at fee offices around the state, it may be possible to verify taxes have been paid without the customer showing a receipt.

But Kay Dinolfo of the Department of Revenue's public information office said the key will be whether counties have their tax records computerized. Counties that are computerized can send a data tape to the office in Jefferson City, which can be accessed by the computers in fee offices.

"It is all dependent on whether a county is computerized, and not all of them are," said Dinolfo.

Dinolfo said that within the next few weeks fee offices in the state will be on-line and should be able to participate if they have the data from their counties.

"It is certainly a convenience if we can get it all working," said Dinolfo.

Cape Girardeau County Collector Harold Kuehle agreed. He said he is working with county data processing director Ron Andrews and the Department of Revenue to provide the data.

"We're ready to do it. It would sure save everybody a lot of grief," said Kuehle.

The collector said he will meet with Norma Wildman, who manages the Cape Girardeau and Jackson fee offices for the Southeast Missouri State University Foundation, to see about getting it started.

Wildman said she doesn't know much about the program yet. "I look forward to getting some more information," she said.

"It is really a matter of convenience," said Dinolfo. "If we can find a way to speed up our service to customers we want to do it."

Within two months, she said all fee offices should be capable of verifying personal property tax payments by computer, if counties have the data in a form they can use.

Dinolfo said it will not be a direct on-line connection with collectors' offices, but only a tape the department can download into its central computer on personal property tax payments.

Missouri law requires anyone renewing a vehicle license to provide proof that personal property taxes have been paid. Tax bills are due by Dec. 31, and receipts are mailed by collectors. Licenses are renewed throughout the year, and many people have trouble finding their receipts.

Kuehle said not only is it a hassle for people wanting to renew licenses to come by one of his offices to get a duplicate receipt, but it is also a hassle for his staff to make a copy. "It certainly is not worth the $1 we take in for making the receipt," the collector said.

If the fee office computer shows that personal property taxes have not been paid for a vehicle, Kuehle said the customer would have to pay the bill at the collector's office and then return to the fee office. Fee offices will not be involved in collecting taxes for the county.

Kuehle explained the idea was first raised several years ago during the administration of Gov. John Ashcroft. The change in administrations put the plan on hold for a while, but it was revived in March and presented to collectors at their annual training meeting.