An Overview of the Tax Collector’s Office

An Overview of the

Tax Collector’s Office

Presented by:

John Power, Tax Collector

CPM, CFC

PRESENTATION OBJECTIVES:

Answer Three Questions

1. (Who we are)

 Define the relationship of the Tax Collector relative

to state, county, and local governments.

2. (What we do)

 Describe the various state agencies for which Tax

Collectors carry out the duties of law and related

regulations.

Continued...

PRESENTATION OBJECTIVES:

(Continued)

3. (What we accomplish)

 Review general office statistics.

 Questions & Comments (time permitting).

Alachua County Tax Collector

Defined

 Constitutional Officer / Office

 I am not an employee of county government, local

government or the state, neither are my deputies.

 The Tax Collector is a sovereign Constitutional officer

elected to serve in a county political subdivision.

As a Constitutional Officer,

the Tax Collector & Staff:

 Follow Statutory requirements

(Chapters 197, 319, 320 & 322 FS).

 Must carry out certain statutory and regulatory

functions as the “agent” for various state agencies and

local taxing authorities.

 Operate out of three public service centers.

 Downtown

 NW 34

Blvd.(formerly Street)

 Butler Plaza

 Central Processing Center (non-public)

The Tax Collector is a Limited &

Specialized Agent of the State

Carries out the duties of law and related regulations

for the following:

 The Florida Department of Revenue

 The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV)

 The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC)

 The Florida Department of Health

 The Florida Department of Agriculture

 The Alachua County BOCC

Tax Collector (as Agent for …)

Florida Department of Revenue

General Responsibilities:

Ad Valorem Tax Program (Property Taxes)

 Mail and Process Real Estate & Tangible Tax Bills

 Collect, Reconcile, & Distribute all Tax Revenues according

to Law (Chpt. 197 FS)

Exemptions

Tax Bill

Example

THE MATH

Assessed Value - Exemptions = Taxable Value

Taxable Value x Millage Rate = Taxes Levied

• Assessed Value, Exemptions & Taxable Value (Property Appraiser)

• Millage Rate (Taxing Authorities…City, School Board, County, etc.)

• Taxes Levied / Tax Bill (Tax Collector)

Homestead

Tax Bill

Example

Statistical Totals

-Property Tax Program-

 Tax Bills & Reminders Mailed

 +/- 150,000

 Total Transactions (real, tangible, current, delinquent, etc.)

 +/- 116,000

 Total Monies Collected / Disbursed

 $333 Million

 Weekly Average ~ $6.4 Million

(85% in Nov. & Dec. alone)

The Tax Collector is a Limited &

Specialized Agent of the State

Carries out the duties of law and related regulations

for the following:

 The Florida Department of Revenue

 The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV)

 The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC)

 The Florida Department of Health

 The Florida Department of Agriculture

 The Alachua County BOCC

Tax Collector (as Agent for …)

Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

General Responsibilities:

Motor Vehicle & Vessel Titles and

Registrations (Tag & Title)

 Mail and Process Vehicle registrations annually

 Collect, Reconcile, & Distribute all Tag Revenues

according to Law (Chpt.319 & 320 FS)

Vehicle

Registration

Renewal

Notice

Permanent

Parking Placard

Statistical Totals

- Auto Tag Program -

 Renewal Notices Printed & Mailed

 +/- 200,000

 Total Transactions (registrations, titles, vessels, etc.)

 297,000 Transactions

 +/- $20 Million

 Weekly / Daily Average

 ~5,700 per week / ~1,100 per day (Transactions)

 $384,600 per week / nearly $77,000 per day

Tax Collector (as Agent for …)

Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

Driver License Services

• During the 2010 Legislative session, state lawmakers required the

Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to transition all front-

line Driver License issuance services to the Tax Collectors.

• Mandated in Chapter 322. Tax Collectors issuing DL by June 30, 2015.

 Driver License Transactions

(originals, renewals, suspensions, testing, etc.)

 +/- 75,600 Transactions

 ~1,450 per week / ~300 per day

Statistical Totals

- Driver License Services -

 Driver License Transactions

(originals, renewals, suspensions, testing, etc.)

 +/- 75,600 Transactions

 ~1,450 per week / ~300 per day

 +/- $3.5 Million collected and disbursed

• $67,300 per week / Nearly $13,500 per day

The Tax Collector is a Limited &

Specialized Agent of the State

Carries out the duties of law and related regulations

for the following:

 The Florida Department of Revenue

 The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV)

 The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC)

 The Florida Department of Health

 The Florida Department of Agriculture

 The Alachua County BOCC

Tax Collector (as Agent for …)

Alachua County

General Responsibilities

Business Tax Program

Issue licenses, collect, reconcile & distribute monies collected.

 Issued +2,000 Business Tax receipts totaling approx. $245,000.

Tourist Development Tax Program

Collect “Bed Tax” monthly, reconcile & distribute monies collected,

perform audits on various accounts.

 Process 1,300 Tourist Development Returns and

Collect approx. $5.6 Million

Statistical Totals

Office-wide Customers & Transactions

Total Notices Mailed

 350,000

Total Customers & Transactions (including phones, excluding internet hits)

 592,000 (Over ½ Million)

 $362 Million

Weekly Average

 ~11,400 Customers & Transactions per week

 ~$7 Million per week

Daily Average

 +2,200 per day

 ~$1.4 Million per day

Public Service Centers

General Statistics w / DL

 Queued Customers in Public Service Centers

 60% Increase in customers (172,000+ customers)

Wait Times

 Overall Average Service Center Wait Time

13 minutes 19 seconds

 90 % waited under 30 minutes

 68 % waited under 15 minutes

 36 % waited under 5 minutes

Statistical Totals

Tax Collector’s Finance Department

General Responsibilities:

All Facets of TC Accounting, Receivables,

Disbursements, Budget, Payables, Payroll,

Contracts, Legal, Auditing, etc.

Total Funds Accounted for = approx.

$362 Million

FTCA Financial Excellence Awards

(2016, 2017 & 2018)

PRESENTATION OBJECTIVES:

Main Points Summarized..

1. (Who we are)

Independent Constitutional Officer / Office

2. (What we do)

Carries out duties for various agencies

Transaction agents

3. (What we accomplish)

Hundreds of thousands of transactions

Collect, reconcile & distribute millions of dollars

For Questions, Comments &

Suggestions…

CONTACTS

 John Power, Tax Collector

 Jon Costabile, Chief Deputy

 Donna Johnson, Exec. Director of Public Branches

 Matt Geiger, Exec. Director of Tax Operations

 Kyle Lindsey, Administration Coordinator

Address:12 SE 1

Street

Gainesville, FL 32601

Phone: (352) 374-5236

Web Site: www.AlachuaCollector.com