Deadline to avoid publication March 11

Polk County property tax payers who have not yet paid have until Monday, March 11 to avoid being publicized by the county as the Polk County Board of Commissioners has charged the tax collector to collect back taxes by all means available.

As of March 1, the county had $854,461 in back taxes owed for 2012. Taxes were due in January.

During the Polk County Board of Commissioners Feb. 18 meeting there were $1,018,525 still owed in back taxes, which was less than the same time last year.

The 2011 uncollected taxes reported to the board at the same time last year was $1,547,830.

Outstanding 2011 taxes as of March 1 included $194,975 unpaid, according to Polk County Tax Collector Melissa Bowlin.

The county publicizes taxpayers in the county every year with a list of late taxpayers and how much they owe. Bowlin said the deadline to avoid publication is Monday, March 11. The tax office plans to advertise the list in the March 25 Bulletin.

Tax payments can be made at the Polk County Tax Office, located on the first floor of the Womack building in Columbus. Tax payments can also be paid online by visiting www.polknc.org. Payments can be made by clicking on departments/tax office, then visiting the “click here to pay your property and vehicle taxes online” link.

Polk uses Official Payments Corporation to accept tax payments online or by phone. Call 1-800-272-9829 with the jurisdiction code of 4397 to pay taxes by telephone.