OFFICE OF TAX COLLECTION
OFFICE OF UTILITY COLLECTION
MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the tax/utility departments is to assist and educate our residents and customers in the state statutes as it deals with tax and utility collection.

Our mission includes the billing, collection, and enforcement of statute in the area of taxes, sewer and water fees.

OFFICE OF TAX COLLECTION
OFFICE OF UTILITY COLLECTION
SHORT RANGE GOALS
&
OBJECTIVES

1. Reinstitute the position of Part Time Account clerk. Objective to train this individual (person holding position had already begun taking collection courses) is to primarily provide the office with a Deputy Tax Collector, who can fill in strictly held duties of the Tax Collector in his/her absence, i.e.; hold Tax Sale, do tax billing, etc.

2. Technological Education of all Tax Office Staff in Excel/Word. Excel is currently used for most tracking project systems in tax office. Former responsibility of part time account clerk, all staff should have this knowledge.

3. Improve Security of Collection Office. Large amounts of cash, coupled with shooting of Tax Clerk in south Jersey have crystallized the imperative need for additional security in collection area. Suggestions include restructuring of payment window and police access from an area within the tax office (not through the hallway entrance.) This should be discussed with the police for their input.

4. IA Remittance - Image Archive Remittance is designed to meet specifically (stub) and check processing standards. Batches of checks can be scanned, added, errors found (between verbiage and numerals) and payment stubs in a matter of minutes and copies of all checks and signature verification can be stored on CD or hard drive. There is an initial cost (~$1500.) for the software application and one additional piece of small hardware must be purchased. This application could save a great deal of time in the most tedious application of the tax office. I would highly recommend we look into this application and am following up with tax office software vendor, First Byte Systems as implementation in the tax/utility area.

LONGER RANGE GOALS
&
OBJECTIVES

1. The Tax Office uses First Byte Corporation Municipal Software. This is an approved software system by the Division of Local Government Services. Update to latest version 5.0. for cash receipting. Training will be required in this area when transition takes place. Timing for update a crucial issue with all personnel trained.

2. Credit Card Payments - This has been requested by a few taxpayers, but not many. Although I see this as imminent in the future of Hopewell Township it is necessary to know that by statute only current municipal charges can be paid on a credit card and these are payments this office will collect anyway. My main concern at this point is that the delinquent taxpayer might be hit with very high rates of interest if credit card payments laws change and delinquent charges can be taken. The maximum interest by the municipality is now 18%. An individual taxpayer already delinquent would be hit even harder paying the interest rates of credit card companies. This would not be a real public service to the residents, our main goal.

3. Automated Clearing House - Online Tax Bill Summary & Tax Payments via our website - Taxpayers can access taxes due for the particular tax entity and tax type (tax/utility) via the municipal website (modifications to website required, webmaster has been contacted). Taxpayers can only pay the full tax amounts due at the time of the online transaction. Utilizes an electronic paperless check methodology. Projected methodology would allow a tax payer to receive a tax bill and immediately set up four payments to be automatically transferred from their account to the Townships on appropriate due dates. Or taxpayers could chose to elect the payment of only one quarter in this internet solution. Access to a resident's own personal information on line would also reduce the telephone number of inquiries into the tax office. For those that have internet capabilities this could provide substantial benefits and ease to taxpayers.