Elizabeth A. Majeski

OPERATING AUTHORITY AND PURPOSE

Pursuant to State Statutes, the County Treasurer receives all monies from all sources belonging to the County and all other monies directed by statute or ordinance to be paid to the County. The Treasurer dispenses all monies on order of the Finance Committee, transfers all taxes, fees, and revenues from other entities to the State Treasurer, collects and enforces the collection of property taxes, maintains and sells in-rem properties, collects and dispenses unclaimed funds from the County and municipalities. Within the County, the Treasurer provides for the daily cash requirements of Racine County and invests County funds not immediately needed.
 

 EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE MEASURES

One of this department’s goals was to reduce the County’s inventory of in-rem properties. We met this goal by selling and/or transferring 50 properties acquired by the in-rem tax foreclosure process.

It is a consistent goal of our office to get the best return on county funds. This year, we issued a bid for investment services and M & I Bank was awarded the contract to invest $10 million dollars that will give the County a better return on invested dollars than is currently available in the present market.

We are working on getting all paid tax rolls on CD’s. This will eliminate the need for printing and storing the large tax roll books of all municipalities. Since there are twenty-four books a year, there will be a cost savings all around.

The department also did the complete tax settlement process electronically, eliminating the need for municipal treasurers to come in and settle in person. This represented another cost savings for the municipalities and for the County.

We implemented a credit card system for payment of taxes. While costly for the taxpayer, it is amazing how many hundreds of people used it. It is available via the Internet and by telephone.

The department is operating with a full staff for the first time in five years and is now able to take on the extra projects that lack of staffing prohibited.
 

2003 GOALS AND BUDGET STRATEGIES

•    Hold more than one sale of in-rem properties per year.
   
•    Transfer a package of in-rem properties to the DNR.
   
•    Allow taxpayers to pay real estate taxes by check via the Internet and the use of ACH.
   
•    Provide access to tax information on the Internet.
   

COUNTY BOARD DIRECTIVE

The County Treasurer will investigate and report back to the Finance & Human Resource Committee no later than June 20, 2003 regarding the possibility of using online checks for transactions (i.e.: paying property taxes).