A look at the county treasurer’s office and responsibilities
It is said that money makes the world go round. Money certainly is required to pay for Sheboygan County government’s services.
That money is received from a number of sources, such as the state-shared revenues, federal and state grants, fees and fines, and most importantly – county property taxes.
Sheboygan County’s treasurer’s office is the focal point for collecting and handling the money received and it will be the topic of this column.
As a reminder, over recent weeks this column has discussed and explained the duties and responsibilities of the Register of Deeds, Sheriff’s Office, Veterans Service Office, and Coroner’s Office. And over the past five years, this weekly column, has touched on most of the responsible offices and county committees in one form or another. Two things they all have in common – they are important and they cost money to run.
With the second installment of the 2009 real estate property taxes nearing – for those who split their payments they are due by (postmarked no later than) July 31 – it might be helpful to discuss some of the duties of this office.
First, there a number of locations and methods that you can use to pay your property taxes. You can pay in person at the Sheboygan County Treasurer’s office, use the curb-side drop box or the inside drop box (508 New York Ave. in Sheboygan), use an online credit card, a telephone credit card, and you can mail it in. You may also pay at one of the Community Bark and Trust offices – there are a number of locations around Sheboygan County. You are reminded that you need bring your tax notice and the payment to the bank and trust office and you cannot use the drive-through.
Laura Henning-Lorenz is the county treasurer. As with other partisan offices, elections are held in the fall. The Sheboygan County Finance Committee oversees the treasurer’s office and plays an important role in staffing, technical services, and investments.
The treasurer’s office, according to their annual report, collects first installment payments for 12 municipalities and second installment and delinquent payments for all 28 municipalities. It pays out tax monies received to municipalities during tax collections and makes payments to the state where appropriate; it must keep a true and correct account of receipts and expenditures; and it must track and report unclaimed funds.
The county treasurer invests unexpended revenues and reserves with various banking and investing institutions, and funds the county’s general account for payroll and approved vouchers.
That office must file timely reports with the state of Wisconsin throughout the year. Some of those reports include the District Treasurer’s Tax Roll Settlement reports, Lottery Credit report, Sales Tax reports, Real Estate Transfer Fee Transmittal reports, Probate and Birth Certificate reports, and the Court Fines and Assessment report.
The list of payments required by the Sheboygan County Treasurer’s office is long.
If you have questions, you may go to the Sheboygan County Web site at www.co.sheboygan.wi.us, click on departments and then treasurer’s office. From there you can read the annual report and/or find out what other services they provide. For specific questions not answered at their Web site, you can call their office at (920) 459-3015.
