MSBU assessments will be added to local tax bills

County commissioners have decided to move forward on a plan to put MSBU assessments on local tax bills.

MSBU assessments are levied on every undeveloped lot, home and business in Franklin County to pay for fire protection.     

The MSBU assessments are currently sent out separately from the tax bills, and that has led to the problem of thousands of the assessments not being paid in a timely manner which means local fire departments aren’t getting the money they need when they need it.

It’s estimated that close to half of the assessments go unpaid every year.

If the MSBU were placed on the tax bill, then they would be paid at the same time property owners pay their taxes which would be good for the fire departments.

The Clerk of Courts office estimates the fire departments could collect 25 thousand dollars more every year if the change goes through.

The county could also save over 20 thousand dollars a year with the change through less postage and fewer recording fees for liens.

Property owners could also save money under the plan, because the discount people get for paying their taxes early would also cover the MSBU payment.

The property appraisers office and tax collectors office have both shown support for moving the MSBU assessments to the tax bills, and said the only cost to them would be sending out an additional flyer alerting property owners of the change.

The county has to approve a resolution by March the 1^st in order for the change to take effect by the next tax year.

They have scheduled a public hearing on the issue for February the 28^th at 1:30 at the Courthouse annex in Apalachicola. 

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