The Cole County Collector's Office mailed out approximately 47,000 real estate and personal property tax statements along with more than 1,200 merchants license statements this week.
Another 10,000 real estate tax bills are paid electronically by local banks and escrow companies.
The total amount of taxes the collector is charged with collecting for 2013's real estate, personal property, railroad and utility tax statements is $67.6 million. In 2012, $66.8 million was collected. This represents an increase of a little more than 1 percent for 2013.
Each year, the collector's office collects approximately 96 percent of the current taxes owed along with about $2 million in delinquent taxes that are owed.
Of the total taxes collected, more than $47 million will go to school districts, $4.6 million to cities and municipalities, $3.4 million to the road and bridge fun, $2.5 million to the library, $1.3 million to fire districts, $1.2 million to county general revenue and $1.1 million to Cole County Special Services.
If you mail your payment, you must have it postmarked no later than Dec. 31 to pay taxes without penalty. Residents can also pay in person at the collector's office in the courthouse annex on High Street, and there is a mail drop box in front of the annex for payments. You can also go online and pay taxes at the collector's website, www.colecountycollector.org.