Tax bills in mail for Cape County; will look different this year

Cape Girardeau County residents will see tax bills in their mailboxes starting this week, according to County Collector Barbara Gholson, who said the invoices, and even the envelopes they’re mailed in, will look a little different this year.

“The collector’s office upgraded to new software, which caused some delays and changes,” she explained. “The bills will have a different look this year, but all the same information is on them.”

As for the envelopes, Gholson said most of this year’s bills are being mailed in white envelopes with large, clear address windows. “They will be clearly marked with the county logo and a maroon printed line indicating it is a tax statement,” she said and explained the change was, in part, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The ivory envelopes were getting hard to procure last year, and we were told that COVID has closed or reduced production at some paper mills causing colored envelopes to be more expensive,” Gholson said. The county will save more than $2,500 by switching to white envelopes, she added.

As always, property taxes are due by Dec. 31. Payments can be made by mail, online or at the collector’s offices in Cape Girardeau or Jackson, either in person or by using the drop box or slot at either office. However, because of the pandemic, Gholson is encouraging people to use the mail, online or drop box/slot options rather than paying in person. Mailed payments, using the return envelopes included with tax invoices, must be postmarked by Dec. 31 to avoid late fees.

County residents who pay their tax bills by mail, online or through a drop box/slot at one of the collector’s offices are asked to verify their mailing address so a receipt may be mailed to them. A downloadable address change form is available online through the County Assessor’s Office, www.capecounty.us/assessor.aspx.

Online payments may be made through the collector’s website, www.capecounty.us/CountyCollector/collector.aspx, and are subject to a convenience charge or service fee charged by the company that manages the online payment service. The service fee is not part of the tax and the county does not receive any portion of the fee associated with the payment service, Gholson said.

Online payment instructions may be found on the collector’s website.

Gholson said bills for properties in the Little River Drainage District and the County Ditch District will include the drainage amount on the regular county bill.

“It is a separate line item on the bill,” she said. “There will not be an additional bill.”

For those who wish to pay their tax bills in person or through the drop box/slot option, the collector’s offices are at 2311 Bloomfield St. in Cape Girardeau and at 1 Barton Square (the Cape County Administrative Offices building) in Jackson.

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