Letter to Editor

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Letter to Editor

by Frank Miles on Thursday, September 9, 2010 at 7:16pm

Steve Jellen submitted the enclosed letter to the editors of the Telegraph and BND

A vibrant local Republican Party would be an asset to voters who would relish having more choice. But as it stands, many of the folks who run locally as Republicans hurt the Republican cause more than they help it. Kurt Prenzler is a good example. Kurt Prenzler is the Republican candidate for Treasurer of Madison County. But Mr. Prenzler runs not to do the Treasurer’s job, but to prevent it being done.

Kurt Prenzler got his start in politics resisting for many years the Edwardsville school district’s construction program. A religious fundamentalist, Mr. Prenzler home schools his own children in order to control what they learn. He then resents having to pay property taxes for schooling other people’s kids. His record is long and clear. He wishes for public schools to expire, not to continue and to grow so that he must pay school taxes forever. 60% of the taxes the Treasurer collects are disbursed to public schools.

Apart from accusing two incumbent Treasurers for their real and imagined shortcomings, Mr. Prenzler’s only program is to cut 30% out of the Treasurer’s office immediately. While that might accord with Prenzler’s hatred of government and taxes, it would not serve the public. If he burned the tax collection office to the ground it would not lower taxes. Mr. Prenzler should run for the legislature where tax and education policy is decided. Kurt Prenzler’s candidacy hurts the reputation of the local Republican Party. Future Republican candidates with something worthwhile to offer will first have to live it down.

Stephen Jellen

Edwardsville

County treasurer speaks with village board

Miles explains his role in the property tax system
By BILL TUCKER
btucker@edwpub.net
Published: Friday, August 20, 2010 11:31 AM CDT
Madison County Treasurer Frank Miles sends out the property tax bills and collects the property tax receipts.

To many people, then, he is tax man.

Miles, however, isn't and he explained his role and that of his office to members of the Maryville Board of Trustees at its meeting Wednesday.

Miles took over the post in December when Fred Bathon retired after a lengthy career in county politics.

One of the first things Miles did when assuming the office was embark on an educational journey that has taken him around the county.

"Since I've entered this office, we've been out to literally hundreds of meetings – village boards, city councils, Rotary clubs, Lions clubs, Optimists clubs, senior centers and various organizations –  with one purpose: to educate and inform the taxpayers and taxing districts of Madison County," he said.

And on those trips, the question Miles hears most is, "Can you lower my taxes?"

"When I tell people I'm the Madison County Treasurer, they want me to lower their taxes," Miles said. "I am the treasurer and collector of funds for Madison County. I'm responsible for preparing and mailing all of the tax bills. People make their property taxes out to me, that's why they think I can lower their property tax."

Miles can't, of course, lower taxes, but his office can point residents in the direction they need to go.

"I'm not responsible for assessing property values, I don't approve exemptions, I don't notify taxpayers whether or not their assessment changes, I don't set the tax rate or approve local taxing districts' budgets, deal with multipliers or get involved in the tax appealing process," Miles said.

His office does mail out the annual tax bills and tries to get that task accomplished each year between early May and early June.

Once that job is complete, his office is then responsible for collecting property tax revenues.

Miles said there are a number of options available to county residents for paying their taxes.

Payments can be brought to his Edwardsville office in person, direct withdrawals can be made from checking or savings accounts or payments can be made at one of 115 banks in Madison County.

Miles said payments can be made in one installment, two installments or four installments.

In addition, some residents opt to have their taxes estimated against last year's and then pay monthly.

"It's very similar to budget billing that the power company offers," Miles said.

"This program is very popular with seniors in Madison County. We've got about 1,600 seniors in the program."

Miles said the four-installment option has proven both popular and effective as the tax delinquency rate dropped by 21 percent last year.

Miles said the Treasurer's Traveling Help Desk was set up at Maryville Homecoming earlier this summer and pointed a handful of seniors toward tax exemptions they were unaware of.

Miles passed out three brochures to village board members and others in attendance: "Appealing Your Property Tax Assessment," "Monthly Payment Plan" and "Real Estate Property Tax Cycle."

Those brochures and other information are available by contacting the Madison County Treasurer's Help Desk at 692-6260.

Miles explains tax assessment process to Village Board | miles, county, tax - Local News - The Telegraph

Miles explains tax assessment process to Village Board | miles, county, tax - Local News - The Telegraph

Property Assessment Assistance - Riverbender.com News

Property Assessment Assistance - Riverbender.com News

Treasurer's office offering help desk


Will be available at the Glen Carbon Homecoming celebration
By STEVE RENSBERRY
srensberry@edwpub.net

Published: Thursday, June 17, 2010 11:46 AM CDT
Madison County residents who have questions about their property taxes or the tax process in general are in luck if they plan to attend the Glen Carbon Homecoming celebration this weekend.

The Help Desk of Madison County Treasurer Frank Miles will be available at the event from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday. Other Homecoming events will continue until midnight on both nights.

“We will have information available at our fingertips with the help of laptop computers that will allow the staff to access important property tax information to address individual taxpayer’s questions,” Miles said in a statement released to the media.

“We will also be distributing informational brochures on programs that are of particular interest to county residents.”

Information will be available on a range of topics, Miles said, including the tax cycle process, tax payment options, senior tax relief through the senior tax deferral program, and the steps involved in appealing a property assessment.

“We will even provide residents with the forms necessary to appeal property assessments. Information will also be available to Madison County residents concerning unclaimed property through the state of Illinois’ “Cash Dash” program,” Miles said.

Residents of Madison County can also get help by visiting the Treasurer’s Office Web site at www.madcotreasurer.org, by calling 692-6260, or by visiting the Treasurer’s Office on the first floor of the Madison County Administration Building on Main Street in downtown Edwardsville.

County Treasurer Hiring - Riverbender.com News

Here's a sample of an interview I did yesterday with WBGZ Alton Riverbend about my office' participation in the Put Illinois To Work Program....trying to do our part by helping move the economy forward!

County Treasurer Hiring - Riverbender.com News