I love technology. I love that I can order a car from Uber at the touch of a button on my Droid. I love that my kids can talk to my husband when he’s in Germany practically “face to face” for free using Skype. I love that I no longer drive in circles around greater Philadelphia, thanks to my GPS and the magic of Google maps.
New apps are being developed every day – and the possibilities boggle the mind. Still, lots of folks aren’t ready to embrace it – though, the last of the hold outs, my father-in-law, now has an iPad.
Hesitance to make the jump to more technology extends to the government. Thanks to viruses, scams, and hoaxes, many government organizations, including taxing authorities, shy away from allowing online access to certain kinds of information such as notices and payments due. IRS, for example, has an app for Droid and iPhone which allows you to get tax updates and the latest news, but the only taxpayer information you can actually obtain using the app is the status of your tax refund; additional information is available on the web. The IRS does not, however, engage in email communication for purposes of sending bills or resolving taxpayer disputes.
Taxing authorities in Delaware County, Indiana, are bucking this trend: property owners may have the option of receiving their property tax bills via email. According to Keith Roysdon of The Star Press, Delaware County Commissioners have approved a plan that would allow tax bills to be sent via email. The plan would be opt-in, meaning that taxpayers would have to sign up to receive an e-bill; the default would be a regular paper bill.
Indiana has allowed taxpayers to receive property tax bills via email since 2009. So far, only a handful of counties have considered it.
On the taxpayer side, receiving a bill online is more convenient and allows for prompt payment. Additionally, security concerns for property owners aren’t generally as serious for property tax bills since they tend to be matters of public records.
On the taxing authority side, online bills save money – about 20 cents per bill in Delaware County. That could save the county nearly $12,000 per year. Allowing e-bills also speeds receipt of bills – which might translate into more efficient collections.
Many government entities accept payments online, which also encourages prompt payments – and lessens the chance that a check might get lost in the mail. However, only a limited number of counties and municipalities have signed on to e-bills. You can receive your property tax bill by email in San Bernardino County, California, and St. Lucie County, Florida but e-bills aren’t offered in most localities, like my own Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. I expect, however, for the e-bill trend to continue.
What do you think? Would you want to receive your tax bills by mail? And if so, would you want it limited to property tax bills, or are you ready for emailed income tax bills, as well?
