The Callaway County Assessors launched their new website containing personal property tax records yesterday.
Through the site users can search personal property records using an account number, address and name. The site tells searchers whether an assessment was filed and provides additional information, including a person's address and information about their personal property.
"People like to know what their neighbors are paying to be sure people are being treated fair and equally," Paschal said.
This is the first step the Assessors Office is taking to move online.
They plan to launch an E-file system for the 2016 tax year so users can fill out assessment paperwork online and have it directly put into the office's system. Land assessments will be sent out with a PIN at the top of the sheet that will allow users to login to the E-file system. Paper work can still be returned as a hard copy or in person at the Assessors Office.
"I think people will really like it because they can file anytime when it's most convenient for them," Paschal said.
The assessors have been working with Vanguard, the company that provides and maintains the programs, for a year and a half to figure out a payment plan. The assessors will pay Vanguard $5,000 for five years to complete the purchase of the programs. Vanguard will charge $7,000 annually to maintain the programs after the initial purchase is made.
"We're lucky to have a healthy budget, and we're using that budget to benefit the citizens of Callaway," Paschal said.
If the assessors don't see enough people using the E-file program after the initial five years then they will cancel the contract, Paschal said. Users who repeatedly file their assessments online for three years will receive a postcard containing a PIN instead of a hard copy of the paperwork.
"If people use the E-file it will cut down our mail and their information goes directly into our system," Paschal said. "It will help us be more streamline."
The Assessors have also started working with Schneider Group to create a real estate site where real estate agents, banks and other users would be able to find local listings and information about the houses.
The Callaway County Assessors signed a five-year contract with Schneider Group to test the site and program for free. At the end of the contract they will pay Schneider $10,000 annually to continue using the program so more detailed information will be available to users who purchase a subscription to the site, Paschal said. Details of the subscription fee have not yet been determined, but Paschal expects people will subscribe.
"We're hoping enough people will use it with the subscription fee so that it pays for itself," Paschal said.
Paschal went on to say that even if subscription fees don't cover the annual cost that the office will continue to make it available to users.
"I think this is still a product we need to have available for people," he added. "It's something we can offer and we should offer."