Tax Collectors answer to???

[coldsteelva]

If an elected official is not performing their duties, you can file for a Writ of Mandamus - court order to do your job, but if she is no longer in office, the new collector has a tough road ahead

 

[Oaktree]

Why hasn't the former tax collector been charged and arrested. From what you're saying, what she did was a criminal act even if only by negligence.

I was wondering the same thing. I've never heard of a tax collector being an independent entity, answerable to no one. Everywhere I've lived, they (like all other town officials) are employees of the city/town, even if it's an elected position and as such any department records, paperwork, etc. are town property. Certainly tax records should be property of the town (and are public record in many states).

 

[NorTracNY]

As someone else mentioned, the records are public. If the new collector doesn't have access, the law should be involved at this point. I will be surprised, based upon what you said, if there won't be criminal charges pressed in the next few months.

 

[TnAndy]

Cant you go pay in person and get a receipt?

When i had land in WV, always thought it was funny that tax payment was to be made out to the tax persons name. Here it is " treasurer of xxx county".

Yeah...that's the way it was here in Tennessee when we first came here. I got a question from my accountant (who didn't live in this county and didn't know the name) once about a business check I wrote to "Jack Daniels" (so help me, THAT was the tax assesor's name). It was for a small amount for some business tax for my construction company.

I told him that was how they had you make out the check there at his office. The accountant laughed, and showed me the back of the check...it was cashed at the Alpine Liquor Store by Jack.

From then on, my checks were made out to "Jack Daniels XXX County Clerk"....and I looked at every single one of them when returned by the bank. No telling how much that crook stole over the years.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Saw a news station video on youtube about a tenn sheriff, that was pulling over people, taking cash from them because they couldnt "prove" it didnt come from drugs. Also caught using county property for his private use. One guy was going to buy a car from someone, they took $20k in cash he was carrying.

 

[TractorGuy]

This is one bill I pay in person every year and get a receipt in hand for. I make the check to the county tax collector and do NOT put the name of the tax collector on it as it tells me to do. That is something I never saw as appropriate and they have never refused my check. They sometimes take a while to process it but it usually gets done within the month I write it.

 

[oosik]

Around here I write - Spokane Co Treasurer - on my property tax checks. I never get a receipt but the bank does get the cancelled check and keeps a digital record of it for seven years.

The county treasurer is an elected official here.

Man - OH - man, such hanky panky as that would be the cause of a citizen revolution in this area of the world. Somebody would surely yell - "get a rope".

 

[Oaktree]

This is one bill I pay in person every year and get a receipt in hand for. I make the check to the county tax collector and do NOT put the name of the tax collector on it as it tells me to do. That is something I never saw as appropriate and they have never refused my check.

How common is this? I've never heard of ANY official payment being required to be made out to an individual. Tax bills, vehicle registration or dump fees are ALWAYS to "town of xxx". Dump fees must be made by check to the town, no cash.
This sounds like it's just asking for trouble.

 

[hawkeye08]

We had problem years ago, so now always go in and pay and get receipt in person.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

The collector here is an independent entity. Regardless of what was requested, I always made the check out to "Washington County Tax Collector". They can refuse payment until a few weeks after the bills are sent out, until the receipt books are officially open, usually late February-early March. Property taxes are due by Oct 15 here.