Clinton Township has become the latest Macomb County community to accept credit card payments for property taxes and has also set up a Web site to provide residents with more tax information. Payments can be made over the phone or on the township's Web site (www.clintontownship.com) 24 hours a day, said Treasurer William Sowerby.
"This service isn't for everybody," Sowerby said. "But if you can afford to put your tax bill on a credit card or if you get cash awards from your credit card company, it can be profitable."
Michigan's most-populated township has contracted with Official Payments Corp., which is authorized by the Internal Revenue Service, to accept the credit payments.
Fees to use the service depend on the amount of taxes owed.
The company uses a scale that goes up to $30 for amounts under $999. For bills between $1,000 and $9,999, users will pay 3 percent. Anything over $10,000 has a 2.5 percent fee.
Resident Gus Jensen, a retired state auditor, expects a number of taxpayers to use the service once it's more widely known.
"I think it's a good idea," Jensen said. "With all of the technological advances, we need to come up with more systems like this to make dealing with the government a little easier."
Meanwhile, the treasurer's department has enhanced its Web site to include public records for property tax information from the community's thousands of homes and businesses.
Viewers can search a property's information by listing either the owner's name, address or legal parcel number into a search engine. The site will give legal information on the property, including acreage size, state equalized value and sales history.
Janis Jacob, office manager in the treasurer's office, said the site is especially useful to home buyers and sellers, title companies and others.
"You can check out closings after hours from the privacy of your own home," Jacob said. "We are updating the information on a weekly basis and eventually, we'll enter it daily."
Sowerby, now in the middle of his second term, said the developments coincide with Clinton Township's $5 million technology upgrade plans. Township trustees last winter approved the 5-year plan that includes new cable servers and computers.
"The township board wants to have a complete e-government setup where people can do everything from pay their taxes to buy their dog licenses online," Sowerby said.
Sowerby, who formerly worked in automotive sales, said his experience in the private sector has given him greater appreciation for making government easier to deal with for the public.
Clinton Township's cable television station will air programs on the new services at 2, 6 and 10 p.m. daily through next week on Comcast Channel 5 and Wide Open West Channel 10. Call (586) 286-9313.
Quelle: The Macomb Daily
