Union County has joined some other local governments in southern Illinois with the launch of a tax inquiry and payment site.
Treasurer Darren Bailey says it allows residents and businesses faster and better access to tax information.
"Do they need it when they're filing their income tax returns? Do they need it when they're selling a home or applying for a loan or refinancing their home? It's really great for mortgage companies and banks and abstract offices and appraisers that need to survey a lot of information. They can get it quickly."
Bailey says visitors to the site will first see a group of search fields allowing users to locate a parcel by whatever information they may have - such as name, address, or property number.
With the release of property tax bills, Union County taxpayers can now access the treasurer's annual report called Where Do My Taxes Go?
Bailey says a pie graph breaks down where tax money goes in percentages. He says most of the money goes to local school districts.
"On average in Union County it's 55% to 70% of your tax bill will go to your different school districts. Union County government is usually about 20% and maybe another 15% to 20% to your local city or town."
Bailey says the site also includes bar graphs that show how much residents pay in taxes in various communities across Union County. He says the graphs show residents in the village of Dongola pay the most in taxes, while residents of rural Cobden pay the least. Bailey says tax rates appear to be down as a whole across the county.
For more information on these reports, go to the Union County website.
