Tax rolls are declining

For those who want to pay less taxes, it seems like good news: the tax collector took in 8 percent less this year than in 2008.

Implicit in that fact though, is that our houses and personal property are also worth less this year, according to figures presented Tuesday to the Highlands County commissioners by Tax Collector Charles Bryan's office.

More bad news: although the tax collector's office billed $116.4 million, only $110.7 million was collected, a 98 percent collection rate.

To collect real estate taxes from those who don't pay them, the tax collector's office offered to sell 15,554 certificates worth $9.1 million on lots and houses. However, only 2,552 certificates were sold on May 22, which were worth $5.8 million.

The number of certificates held by the county has increased, from 11,000 in 2008 to 13,000 in 2009. However, those certificates are worth 30 percent less, from $4.7 million in 2008 down to $3.3 million this year.

The tax collector also registered 130,371 motor vehicles, collecting $6.3 million for the state, and issued 24,183 mobile home and motor home titles, which gave the state $778,000 in taxes.

As agents for the Department of Motor Vehicles, Bryan's office also registered 9,297 vessels and issued 1,967 vessel titles. The county tax collector keeps a portion of the fee, Bryan's office pointed out. About 7.3 million went to DMV, the tax collector kept $581,000

The tax collector issued 4,479 hunting and fishing licenses for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, collecting $121,000. For the towns and the county, 2,227 garage sale permits were issued, collecting $11,135.

At the end of the 2008-09 fiscal year, $904,627 in revenues was unspent; $857,903 went to the county, $46,724 went to the water management and other districts.

In the previous fiscal year, $1.1 million in excess revenues was presented by the tax collector's office.

Tax rolls

In two years, the certified tax roll - which includes real estate and tangible personal property taxes - has dropped 17 percent.

2007 $129 million

2008 $116 million

2009 $107 million

Source: Charles Bryan, Highlands County Tax Collector