Within a year, people won't have to visit the tax man.
They can pay him online instead, along with their credit card balances, utility bills, subscriptions and federal income taxes. Lake County officials say that by mid-2004 -- in time to pay taxes due next year -- residents will be able to access property records and pay taxes through the Internet. The site will not be ready in time for residents wanting to pay their current bills or the reassessment tax bills coming in February.
It will mark the first step toward revamping the county's Web presence to make it more interactive, allowing residents to download legal papers, check meeting agendas and handle other government matters, according to officials.
"The county has a lot of work left to go to meet this goal," said Mark Pearman, executive director of Cenifax, the county's data processing agency, which has spearheaded the new Web strategy.
Although most government services throughout the country are conducted the old-fashioned way -- with forms filled out at a counter -- the use of e-government is on the rise. Half of all Americans have accessed a government Web site to get information or to conduct a transaction, according to the Washington-based Council for Excellence in Government.
The county's current Web site has not been updated since 2001.
"This is something we need to do to be brought into the 21st century," said Treasurer Peggy Holinga Katona, whose office collects property taxes. "These services are probably long overdue."
Katona said the majority of people who call her office have questions about their bill or past records.
"People can maybe get a little more informed this way. The information will be so helpful," she said. "I don't know how many people will actually pay their bills online though, because already they can mail in bills, but people still come and wait in line to pay in person."
The online services will also be useful to professionals, such as real estate agents, title companies and lawyers, who routinely need property records.
Nancy Smith, executive vice president of the Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors, said its members use information from the assessor's office daily. Information such as the square footage, assessed values and legal descriptions will all be online, she said.
"Currently, Realtors have to either physically go to the assessor's office or call the assessor's office to get the data they need," Smith said. "The new Web site will be available 24-7 and will allow both our members and the local assessors offices to make more efficient use of their time. This is a win-win for everyone."
The Lake County commissioners last week approved a $71,000 payment for Web hosting and software to Manatron Inc., the Michigan-based computer firm that runs the county's tax accounting system and will be setting up the new property tax site.
Pearman does not have a date for the site's launch. He also doesn't know what user fees might be imposed.
"The intention has been to charge for access, especially to users like title companies who need thousands of records," he said. "But the information may be free to the taxpayer."
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