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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. C~ - b <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: March 4, 1998 <br />SUBJECT: Proposed Changes to Tax Notice Format <br />DEPARTMENT: Tax Assessor and Tax Collector PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/1~ No <br />BUDGET AMENDMENT: (Y/1~ No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />2/26/98 Tax Collector Memo <br />Sample Tax Notice <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Ginger Rolfe, Tax Collector <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: - -ext. 2727 <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To consider proposed improvements to the tax notice that would provide the County <br />with an additional effective, low cost communication method. <br />BACKGROUND: The Tax Collector, Assessor, and staff have examined the possibility of <br />changing the post card type tax notice that has been used for many years, to an 8~h x 11 format. <br />This change would allow the Tax departments to provide more information that would address some <br />of the most commonly asked questions from taxpayers. The tax bill would include graphic <br />information about the County budget, and could include information about Town budgets (where <br />appropriate), if the municipal governing boards indicate an interest in having that information <br />included on tax notices. The new format would also allow the County to easily include additional <br />informational materials for citizens when tax notices are mailed. <br />The attached memo-from the Tax Collector identifies the benefits that could be realized from the <br />proposed format change, some of the pros and cons of making the change in format, and the <br />additional costs associated with the new format. If the Board determines that it would like to pursue <br />the new format, the tax department budgets for 1998-99 will be developed to incorporate the <br />additional postage, supply, and processing costs associated with the change. Further, the staff <br />actions necessary to implement the changed format will be undertaken during the remainder of FY <br />1997-98 so that FY 1998-99 tax notices can be prepared and distributed in a timely way in July <br />1998. <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the new format <br />for tax notices. <br />