Tax bills may be out soon

With the normal payment deadline already past, county officials expect property tax bills to be running about a month and a half late.

Usually due on May 10, a deputy in the treasurer's office said this morning to expect those bills to mail out near the end of the month and be due around the close of June.

"This year has been better than last year," said Jay County Assessor Terry LeMaster at the Jay County Commissioners' meeting this morning. "Next year we will be (on time)."

Slowdowns on the state level were the main driving force on property tax delays last year.

The 2008 spring payment deadline was pushed back more than four months until Sept. 19.

"It's not our fault," said county auditor Nancy Culy, who explained that Manatron Inc., which is contracted to do assessment work for the county, provided necessary data late.

Culy said the auditor's office staff will be in overdrive this week to get numbers crunched and forward the billing information to the treasurer's office for preparation of bills and mailing.[[In-content Ad]]