Revenue office adjusts hours for property owners
The Franklin County Revenue Commissioner’s Office Property Division will be adjusting their hours to accommodate the large crowd of citizens still needing to pay their property taxes before the first of the year.
From Dec. 27 through 30, the office will be open from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Monday through Thursday. The main property office is located inside the Franklin County Courthouse on the first floor and the satellite office is located in downtown Red Bay.
According to Franklin County Revenue Commissioner Gene Ellison, the actual deadline to pay property taxes is Dec. 31, but their office will be closed that day in observance of New Year’s Eve so anyone wishing to avoid a late penalty needs to have their taxes paid by 5 p.m. on Dec. 30.
“Historically, everyone waits until the last minute to pay their property taxes,” Ellison said.
“By opening our office an hour earlier, we’re providing a service that will give the tax payers an opportunity to come by on their way to work and avoid the long lines that form in the afternoons.”
Every county citizen who owns real property or business owner who owns personal property is required to pay property taxes.
For those who miss the Dec. 30 deadline, an approximate one percent penalty plus five dollars will be applied for the first 30 days.
Ellison said this year, citizens will be able to pay their taxes by credit card. This is the first year for this service, and Ellison expects it will make the process more convenient for many people.
He added that citizens can also pay their property taxes by cash or check, but to avoid complications, checks will not be accepted from Dec. 27 through 30.
“I know that there have been several people with questions about the amount of their taxes and we want the citizens to know that this amount is determined by the state and their annual equalization,” Ellison said.
“If anyone has questions, they are more than welcome to call our office. We have an extremely good staff that is very knowledgeable and professional and we are here to help.”
The Revenue Commission clerks can be reached at 256-332-8837.
