Website allows many to pay property taxes on-line

A majority of Iowans can now pay their property taxes on-line. The Iowa County Treasurer’s Association has teamed up with the State Information Technology Department to create a website that takes “e-checks” or credit cards for property tax payers. Treasurer’s Association president, Mary Maloney, says residents in 75 counties used the service, and they hope to have all 99 on-line by next year. She says some more may come on-line by March, but the rest will likely come on board by payment time next September. Maloney, who is the treasurer for Polk County, says some people have expressed fear about using the on-line system. But, she says the site uses the highest level of encryption available to protect financial info.She says it’s safer than giving your credit card to a waiter in a restaurant, who then takes it and you don’t know where it is until the waiter gets back. There is an added fee for using the on-line paymentMaloney says there’s a two-dollar fee for an e-check and a two-percent fee for using a credit card. Maloney says the fees go to the financial companies for conducting the transaction. Maloney says may people have indicated they’d be willing to pay the fee instead of waiting in long lines at their county courthouse. The on-line tax payments may pave the way for other services on the information super highway.Maloney says Polk County may be used as a pilot program in December that would allow residents to do motor vehicle registrations over the web. You can go on-line to pay your taxes at www.iowatreasurers.org.