Average November Early Payment Discount is $120
Orange County Tax Collector Scott Randolph today announced that 2016 Property Tax Bills have been mailed to Orange County taxpayers. Tax bills are due April 1, 2017, but may be paid starting today, November 1. Discounts for early payment are available to taxpayers, including a 4% discount if paid in November, 3% in December, 2% in January and 1% in February.
For the average Orange County homeowner with an assessed home value of $181,968, the 4% November discount will mean $119.59 in savings. Randolph said those savings, which equal about a week’s worth of groceries or three-to-four tanks of gas, are particularly important for middle class families.
“For working families, every penny counts when it comes to planning the family budget,” Tax Collector Scott Randolph said. “I encourage everyone who can to take advantage of our early payment discount program.”
Last year, more than two-thirds of tax bills received an early payment discount; 58.8% of bills were paid in November, 13.5% were paid in December, 2.9% were paid in January and 2.3% were paid in February.
Orange County taxpayers can pay their taxes online at octaxcol.cbmstage.com.
2016 Orange County Taxes by the Numbers
$2,125,900,088 Total property taxes
508,190 Tax bills mailed by the Orange County Tax Collector’s Office
447,429 Real estate parcels
279,299 Single-family properties
214,876 Homesteaded properties
60,565 Tangible personal property accounts
How Are Taxes Collected?
To ensure a system of checks and balances, the responsibility of setting tax rates, determining property values and collecting taxes are carried out by separate governing entities, each held accountable by the residents for which they serve.
- Tax rates are set. The Board of County Commissioners, School Board, City Commissioners and other tax-levying bodies set the millage rate, which is the rate of tax per one thousand dollars of taxable value. Non-Ad Valorem assessments, such as streetlights, sewage and road improvements are levied on a unit basis rather than the value of property.
- Property values are determined. The Property Appraiser establishes the value of property in Orange County and approves exemptions, including the homestead exemption. Based on the values and exemptions assessed, the Property Appraiser certifies the Tax Roll to the Tax Collector.
- Taxes are collected. The Tax Collector is responsible for mailing tax bills, collecting taxes and distributing revenue to the 63 different taxing authorities in Orange County. The Tax Collector also performs tax certificate sales, collects Tangible Personal Property Taxes and distributes unused fees to the taxing authorities.
