The County Line: County collector also organizes delinquent tax sales

Most Cape Girardeau County residents recognize Collector Diane Diebold as the name on the front of the blue envelopes they receive when they pay their taxes at the end of the year.

"My main responsibility is to collect the taxes for all the different taxing authorities within the county. The majority of the money is for the school districts, and that is by not just the statutes but by the Missouri Constitution," she said.

Other entities she collects for include cities, fire districts, county boards and the state of Missouri.

She said while collection is her office's main role, organizing the delinquent land tax sale is another function. When a property owner goes two years without paying real estate tax, Diebold's office begins the work to place the property on the auction block.

"We put legal descriptions together. We do lien searches, notify lien holders. We've got a lot to do," she said.

While it is a large undertaking for her office, Diebold said, the process prods many delinquent taxpayers to submit payments.

"When we first start looking at that and putting that together, we're over 1,000. By the time we actually get to the tax sale, we're under 50. It gets the taxes paid, but it is a long process," she said.

Her office is also responsible for sending in-lieu-of notices to companies in special tax areas, such as TIF districts and those with Chapter 100 bonds, the state's local industrial development program that eliminates taxes for some businesses but requires bond payment.

"That still ends up on my desk, because it has to be figured on the current levies, even though a tax bill doesn't go out. An in-lieu-of bill goes out, and almost all of them are calculated through me. They aren't set by me, but they are calculated through me and sent by whatever appropriate authority," she said.

Diebold said she spends much of the time from January to May tracking legislation affecting her office and how she performs her job.

"Sometimes somebody thinks it's a good idea and they don't know the ramifications and what those actions may actually do to an acting office," she said.

This year her office implemented a new software program. Her office is one of the first in Missouri to use the system, and she plans to work with developers to make modifications.

"Next year we're going to be doing some user conferences, probably going through some changes, trying to get it more user-friendly so it works better for us," she said.

Diebold said since taking office in 1999, technology has changed and streamlined her office. Payments can now be made online and with credit cards. Office records are shared with other agencies to allow people the option of renewing license plates online and through other methods. Some tax work books have been replaced with spreadsheet programs, and instead of issuing checks, her office now uses wire transfers.

Diebold manages a staff of eight full-time employees.

The office was created under Chapter 52 of Missouri State Statutes. The collector's 2010 budget from county revenue was $396,636.

For additional county budgetary information, visit http://www.capecounty.us/Budgetary%20Info.aspx.

cbartholomew@semissourian.com

243-8600