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MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Orange County Commissioners <br />FROM: Ginger Rolfe, Tax Collector <br />RE: Proposed Changes in Tax Notice Format <br />DATE: February 26, 1998 <br />The County has used a post card type tax notice for the past 20 years. This notice contains limited <br />information due to its size. Tax Department personnel receive a flood of telephone calls each July <br />when the 45,000 tax notices are mailed, and again in December and January when tax payments are <br />due. The majority of calls cover these issues: <br />1) Citizens, especially new property owners and new North Carolina residents, do not <br />understand North Carolina property tax laws. <br />2) Citizens do not understand how to pay their bill because they fail to, or do not realize <br />they need to, read the back of the bill, which contains all the vital payment information. <br />3) Citizens do not remember receiving the bill or have misplaced it. <br />4) Citizens did not receive the bill because the address was incorrect or the bill was lost or <br />not delivered by the postal service. <br />5) Citizens complain about the confidentiality of the notice. <br />The Tax Assessor and Tax Collector propose to address these issues by replacing the preprinted <br />postcard notice with an 8 1/2 x 11 inch notice. The letter size notice will allow us to: <br />1) Add and arrange tax billing and payment information more clearly. <br />2) Place individualized messages on special notices. <br />3) Add address correction space on the remittance stub. <br />4) Include a return envelope. <br />5) Include a graphic showing how county tax dollars are spent. <br />6) Put delivery point bar coding on the mailing and return envelopes. <br />7) Insert communication brochures explaining county services, policies, and issues. <br />A well designer and produced letter size notice will help the Tax Assessor and Tax Collector <br />achieve several of the outcomes listed the Fiscal Year 1997-98 budget document: <br />/ Generate, print and mai143,000 tax bills by August 1 of each year with a successful delivery rate <br />by the post office of 99% <br />/ Increase citizen awareness of the property tax system and laws <br />/ Provide convenient ways to pay taxes by publicizing and offering several different payment <br />methods <br />/ Reduce telephone inquiries for general and frequently asked tax questions by providing clear, <br />concise information and explanations on all bills, notices, and letters <br />/ Maintain a high collection percentage <br />