By Thomas B. Langhorne
Evansville Courier & Press
Posted June 16, 2010 at 11:58 p.m.
It may have slowed down calculation of Vanderburgh County property tax bills last year, but the county's conversion to an integrated property tax management software system may get some recognition soon.
The Indiana Department of Local Government Finance reports that a testing vendor has indicated it will recommend the county receive certification that its system meets state requirements.
The conversion from a mainframe Cobalt system to Windows-based software provided by Portage, Mich.-based Manatron Inc. began in 2008, necessitating months of training for employees of the county auditor's and treasurer's offices.
Despite last year's tax billing delays, County Treasurer Rick Davis said the new system has made property tax calculation and billing and the transfer of data between the auditor's, treasurer's and assessor's offices more efficient.
"The new software gave us the ability to print tax bills in-house this year, saving an estimated $80,000 over five years and enabling me not to fill a clerk position that became vacant in December 2009, saving $31,000 in salary every year," Davis said.
"It's also reduced the time customers spend at the front counter in our office paying their property taxes. It's little things like having a bar code on the bill and a hand scanner at the front counter instead of hand keying in a parcel ID code."
Last year, just two of 92 counties, Kosciusko and Owen, completed the complex, monthslong property assessment-to-tax billing process in time to get state approval to receive the spring installment of tax bills by the May 10 deadline.
Vanderburgh County managed to be among about half the counties in the state to establish May or June due dates for the 2008-pay-2009 spring installment.
Mary Jane Michalak, chief of staff of the Department of Local Government Finance, said the state requires counties to use integrated property tax management software to ensure quality data is available.
Michalak cited irregularities and file conversion problems that can complicate the cooperative work required of county auditors, assessors and treasurers when they use different software systems.
"The need for counties to be on software systems that function together reduces the level of manpower and time that goes into fixing those errors," she said.
"It allows for a smoother property tax process to take place. The people in the assessor and the auditor's office are going to be able to perform their duties more quickly and more efficiently by using software systems that are certified."
In Phase I of the state-required certification, Computer Aided Mass Appraisal and tax vendors made software changes. Phase II requires counties to have their software system functions and compatibilities tested by third-party testing authorities by June 30.
Vanderburgh County paid $345,000 to Manatron and another $30,000 for hardware, software and licensing with the possibility of smaller purchases to come.
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