TAX COLLECTIONS SET TO INCREASE

JACKSON -- Even though Cape Girardeau County residents received their tax bills the beginning of November, most of them haven't paid yet.

Collector Harold Kuehle isn't worried yet, either.

Only about $2.5 million of the $18.6 million billed in personal property and real estate taxes have been paid, which is typical.

Some taxpayers wait to finish Christmas shopping or to receive bonuses before paying the tax collector.

"Normally, our largest amount of mail and walk-in traffic comes the week after Christmas," Kuehle said, predicting that taxpayers would line the county administrative building's halls Friday, Dec. 30, two days before the bills become delinquent.

Kuehle's office is primarily a collection agency for schools, roads and bridges, libraries and other public entities.

He collects money from private citizens and also railroads and utilities.

Money actually used by the county comes from a half-cent sales tax.

Serving so many agencies and dealing with nearly 52,000 bills can become hectic.

During tax time, Kuehle's staff grows from three full-time employees to 12 full and part-time employees.

Some employees deal with the collection window, others the mail.

People primarily pay through the mail, and dealing with their mistakes is often time-consuming.

Some who receive several tax bills fail to add them correctly; others don't sign their checks or write different amounts in numerals and letters.

All taxpayers who have made mistakes have to be notified of them.

But even with Kuehle's large staff, which he said has made him look good through his 28 years in office, there is confusion as to who should pay taxes.

The collector said he uses the media to get the answers out.

"I tell people over and over: 'If you own property, you must pay taxes,'" Kuehle said, adding that some people who buy homes during the year don't realize they, not the previous owners, are responsible for paying the taxes.

The tax bills will be delinquent Jan. 1, but delinquent notices can't be sent until April.

The collector's fiscal year ends Feb. 28, and only then can he begin closing the books and studying figures as to who paid and who didn't.

Taxpayers can pay at the county administrative offices in Jackson or the courthouse annex in Cape Girardeau.

The facilities are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except for Christmas Eve.

The telephone number for the collector's office in Jackson is 243-4476. The number of the Cape office is 335-2606.