Online Look Up

I was disappointed today to receive an email from the D.O.R. regarding the online taxpayer look up program approximately 40 counties take part in. The D.O.R. now says the online look up feature was intended as a back-up in case a taxpayer didn't arrive with his/her paid receipt.

Shortly after entering office on March 3, 2003 I had two visits from suits from D.O.R. urging me to get with the times. They pointed out Jasper County is online and since we both have taxpayers in Joplin it didn't make sense for some Joplin residents to be able to benefit from the program while others still could not renew from the comforts of home. The second visit I was sold on the fact that it would be a great customer service tool for me and it would cut down on counter traffic for people needing a duplicate receipt.

Finally after Governor Blunt changed the fee agent structure my two fee agent's approached me urging me to come on board and make life easier for all of us. $850 dollar in programming costs later I was thrilled to see the smile on the face of each taxpayer we informed telling them that renewing their tags just became easier!

I also called D.O.R. at one point this winter because I was informed that some area fee agents refused to look up the taxes online despite admitting that every fee agent office in the state was required to be online with Jeff City. D.O.R. told me they could not force a fee agent to utilize the online system and that if they chose to require a receipt that was their option. So I said your department can force them to be online, ask me to spend almost a thousand dollars in programming, but you can;t force them to look up the paid status. His reply was something to the effect of, "As silly as that sounds, that's true!"

Now we seem to have seen a small rash (NOT like Paris Hilton's) of taxpayers who have been sent on a 40 minute round trip from Joplin to get a waiver from us when in 2006 they had lived in Jasper County AND had a 2006 paid receipt. But because they didn't owe tax in Newton they were told they needed a waiver indicating that. When we inform them that that is not how the system works it ends up making both offices look like we don't know whats going on. I assumed it was a new employee that maybe didn't understand the waiver system and the problem would fix itself soon. Until today and now I am putting two and two together.

So what's the solution? I think we for sure need to discuss it at the June 20 meeting in Jeff City. Until then, if you have an idea or thought or comment click the comment link at the end of this story and I'll post some discussion for others to see.