County waiting to see how new system works

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, August 7, 2001

For County Treasurer/Auditor Dennis Distad, the cuts and reforms of the 2001 tax bill will create some hassles and added expenses for his office.

Tuesday, August 07, 2001

For County Treasurer/Auditor Dennis Distad, the cuts and reforms of the 2001 tax bill will create some hassles and added expenses for his office.

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&uot;I guess that’s the cost of doing business,&uot; he said.

The rate compressions passed in the bill require extensive reprogramming and testing of the tax-bill software, Distad said. Though he wouldn’t hazard a guess as to the exact cost, Distad said it would likely be expensive – and the tax bill doesn’t make any allowances for the changes.

&uot;The county has to absorb that cost – or more accurately, the taxpayers do,&uot; he said.

Due to the state’s takeover of the general education levy and the addition of the new statewide tax on businesses and cabins, the actual tax forms will also change. That’s another expense related to the new tax bill, Distad said.

As Distad plans for the changes, a few curious taxpayers have called and stopped in the office, wondering what their new tax bills will be.

&uot;I can’t tell them much. At this point, we have to take a wait and see approach,&uot; Distad said. &uot;Until we see some concrete examples of how this will work out, I’m uncomfortable telling people how much they will have to pay.&uot;

Distad’s office is also dealing with time pressures. Because of all the time-consuming changes involved with the new tax bill, and the fact that it wasn’t passed until June 30, counties are facing a tight schedule.

Distad said the state will allow counties some leeway with Truth in Taxation statements due to be mailed to taxpayers in November. The statements typically include information on tax amounts, but this year can contain only dates of meetings.

Final property tax statements must be mailed by April 1, Distad said.

&uot;We should be okay, if we don’t run into too many bugs,&uot; he said.