New Year’s Resolution

Posted on January 1, 2009

Last year, 2008, was my first full year as the Collector of Revenue for the City of St. Louis.  During that year, my main priority was to make paying taxes a more convenient and more efficient task.  If I may say so, I think the office was very successful in this initiative.  We have continued to change the way citizens view the process of doing business at City Hall, and I think people are starting to realize this.  We have done our best to eliminate long lines, confusing forms and get you in touch with the people you need to talk to with as little hassle as possible.  Hopefully you have noticed some of the changes we have made.

This year, my New Year’s Resolution for the office is a little different than in the past.  Each week we hear more advertisements and more announcements, from public and private companies alike, that they are “going green”. 

My resolution for 2009 is that as the Collector of Revenue, I will be capable of saying that my office is environmentally friendly.  This will be an office-wide project and will take everyone’s support.  I already know that some of my employees feel as strongly about this as I do, and I encourage everyone to add this to their goals for 2009, even if it just be in your own home.

To start 2009 off on the right foot, we have developed an in-house recycling program that will drastically reduce the amount of paper-product waste.  This is the first of what I hope to be many steps that we can take to save our part of the environment here at City Hall. 

Hopefully I will have great news about the successes of our programs at this time next year.  Good luck and best wishes on a safe and happy 2009 to you and yours!

 

Post-Dispatch Correction

Posted on November 18, 2008

In the “Heads Up” column on page D2 of today’s edition of the Post-Dispatch, the paper informs taxpayers that personal property and real-estate taxes are due by December 3rd.

Please rest assured that this is a typographical error and the taxes are due on December 31st as always.

A correction is due to run in tomorrow’s paper.  We apologize for any confusion and inconvenience that this may have caused.  Again, these taxes are due on December 31, 2008.

2008 Property Bills Mailed

Posted on November 7, 2008

Customers to Begin Receiving Property Tax Bills November 7th, 2008

Due December 31st, 2008

St. Louis, MO, November 7, 2008 – Beginning on Friday, November 7th, 2008 City of St. Louis property owners will begin receiving their 2008 personal property and real-estate tax statements. These bills are due on or before December 31st as designated by State Statute.

This year the Collector’s Office has seen an increase in the number of bills that will be mailed. The office expects to send in excess of 231,000 notices this year. “This increase is synonymous with the revitalization that St. Louis is currently experiencing,” says Collector of Revenue Gregory F.X. Daly.

2008 property bills may be paid by calling 1-800-2PAYTAX as noted on the bill itself, using our online payment system, www.officialpayments.com, via mail using the enclosed return envelope, in person in Room 109 of City Hall from 8am – 5pm Monday thru Friday or by visiting one of our 6 satellite bank locations.

The satellite banks are as follows: Bank of America; 9075 Goodfellow Blvd., Bank of America; 4301 Hampton Ave., Gateway National Bank; 3412 Union Blvd., National City Bank; 4131 South Grand Blvd., Royal Bank; 3534 Watson Rd., or Southwest Bank; 2301 South Kingshighway Blvd. during normal banking hours.

Customers are encouraged to direct any questions regarding the collection or payment of their bills to our Property Tax Department at (314) 622-4106.

We encourage customers to pay their bill in a timely manner. Bills not received before the December 31 deadline will be subject to penalties and interest beginning January 1, 2009. Additional interest will be computed on the first day of each ensuing month where a balance remains unpaid.

 

WWW.STLOUISCOLLECTOR.COM

Our Mission

Posted on October 20, 2008

When I was campaigning for Collector of Revenue in the Summer of 2006, one of my key promises (and the one that I take the most pride in), was my desire to improve efficiency and customer service within the Office of the Collector of Revenue.

To make good on my vow, my staff and I this week rolled out our new Mission Statement and Taxpayer Pledge.  Anyone can preach these ideals that are proclaimed in the statements; they are the very essence of our job as public servants.  But, I truly believe that our new pledge shows how sincere I am when I say that I “want my office to provide the best customer service in the entire building” by laying out the specific groundwork to do so. 

Mission Statement
To support essential city infrastructure and services by maximizing revenue collections, instilling public confidence, abiding by and enforcing the Missouri State Statutes and City of St. Louis Ordinances that govern this office while providing exceptional taxpayer service.
 

Our Pledge to Taxpayers 

As employees of the Collector of Revenue Office, we pledge to every citizen:
·        As public servants and taxpayers ourselves, we are stewards of taxpayer dollars and we take seriously our responsibility to operate an office that is highly efficient and focused on top-quality customer service
·        You are not an interruption of our work – you are the most important people in our office
·        We will maintain the highest levels of integrity and professionalism at all times and in all of our actions
·        You work hard for your money, so we are committed to administering your taxes carefully, efficiently and with the greatest respect
·        Our employees will have the knowledge, experience and team spirit necessary to answer your questions and/or direct you to the proper solutions
·        Under no circumstances will we tolerate discrimination by our employees or any entity that represents this office
·        Your confidentiality will be passionately guarded and we will not disclose your private information to anyone, except as authorized by law
·        You have the right to know why we are asking you for information and  how it will be utilized within our office
·        You are responsible for paying only the correct amount of tax or fees due under the law—no more, no less.

Taxes collected by this office are distributed throughout the city to support various public services such as the police department, fire department, public education; streets, traffic, garbage disposal; the zoo, art museum, libraries, among others.  

As we approach the coming property and real-estate tax season, I encourage you to let us know how we are doing.  A pledge isn’t worth the paper it is written on if we don’t intend to fully live up to it; which we do.  

In each of our departments we have comment cards placed in high-traffic areas.  If you can spare a minute of your time, we would appreciate your feedback. 

If you are doing business in our office please look for our mission statement or pledge that will be proudly displayed on the wall.

Baked Goods For A Cure!

Posted on June 17, 2008

For the second year in a row, my office will be participating in the Susan G. Komen St. Louis Race for the Cure. 

In addition to raising money via dress-down days, t-shirt sales and race participation like last year, this year we are also hosting a bake sale in the Rotunda of City Hall from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, June 20.

There will be slices of pie, cake, cookies, brownies, etc.  Each customer will receive a complimentary pink ribbon with purchase, and all proceeds will benefit the Susan G. Komen St. Louis Race for the Cure.

I strongly encourage everyone to enjoy a snack baked with love by one of my employees while helping to support a great cause!

 

 

 

 

Posted on March 26, 2008

 

 On Monday, March 24, 2008 I had the pleasure of joining Chief Joseph Mokwa and Sgt. John McLaughlin of the SLMPD, and Paula Moore and Chip Oddo from Progressive Insurance Co. to announce a new joint effort amongst our offices to curb auto-related theft.

With grant money provided by Progressive, the Police Department and the Missouri Department of Revenue fee-office that I run, will be selling “Clubs” and license plate covers to the public at cost.  Clubs that normally retail for $39 and plate covers that normally sell for $13/pair will be available in our office for $11 and $5 respectively.

I feel that this is a great initiative to help deter theft of both vehicles and license plate stickers throughout the entire region.

These items are currently available in Room 111 of City Hall. 

 

Posted on March 18, 2008

 

 

On Monday, March 17, 2008 I had the pleasure of walking in the Annual Ancient Order of Hibernians St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dogtown.  This year it was my privilege to walk with Mayor Francis Slay, County Executive Charlie Dooley, Alderman Joe Roddy, and former Alderman Dan McGuire. 

I have been walking in the parade since 1998, and each year I look forward to this great day.  The Dogtown Parade, as well as the Downtown Parade, is yet another reason why St. Louis continues to be such a great place to live and work.

For those of you that missed this year’s parades, I hope you will join myself and thousands of other St. Louis residents at the celebrations next year!

$500,000 Shot In The Arm — City Mortgage Rescue Fund

Posted on March 8, 2008

On Tuesday, March 8, St. Louis City Mayor Francis G. Slay and other officals rolled out their efforts to help low and moderate income residents keep their homes with a $500,000 shot in the arm through a city-wide mortgage rescue fund. Last year, nearly 2,500 City homes were foreclosed, and officials are estimating a much higher number during 2008. The program will insist that qualified City applicants take a 3-hour financial class. They will learn to negotiate with the mortgageholders to either refinance, modify a loan or bring their payment up to date and budget their income. Each applicant maybe eligible for a grant upwards to $1,500. The first step for people seeking assistance is calling the toll-free hotline at the Homeownership Preservation Foundation, 1-888-995-HOPE. St. Louis City Collector of Revenue Gregory F.X. Daly, also announced that those city residents experiencing difficulties in paying their real estate taxes and City water bills can now negotiate a payment plan. Area City agencies participating in rescue fund program will be Better Family Life, Inc., ACORN, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, and Catholic Churches Housing Resource Center, Beyond Housing, The City’s Board of E&A approved the emergency legislation and the Affordable Housing Commission will distribute the local funds to the participating agencies. Also at the press announcement was Aldermanic President Lewis Reed.

(Photo by Gentry W. Trotter)

 

 

 

Urges City Hall As A One-Stop-Shop

Posted on February 8, 2008

Collector of Revenue Gregory F.X. Daly Moves A Once Deficient Office Into the 21^st Century
 
St. Louis, MO, February 8, 2008 – On Thursday February 8, Collector of Revenue, Gregory F.X. Daly, announced new business initiatives that will greatly benefit area residents and businesses.  In a press conference, attended by: St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay, St. Louis City Treasurer Larry Williams and St. Louis City License Collector Mike McMillan, Daly talked about his efforts to improve office efficiency and customer service, while providing the City the revenue it is owed. 
 

Daly was sworn in as Collector of Revenue in March 2007.  He took over an office that had been under the same leadership for the past 30 years.  The office had become stagnant in its growth and was not up to the quality standards expected by the general public.  After listening to citizens’ comments and opinions by some businesses, Daly vowed to update and improve the office from both a technology and a customer service standpoint.
 

Today, Daly christened the Missouri State Department of Revenue fee-office that the City of St. Louis runs. He has also improved the office of the Collector of Revenue, by enhancing the office’s relationship with the State. Over the past five years, the DOR fee-office once located in Room 106 at City Hall, has experienced a 36% increase in usage, largely due to the well-trained staff, easy parking and access to other city services at City Hall.  The office became a victim of its own success and soon found the demand to be too large for its small quarters.  It was not uncommon to find customers waiting on the floor in the hallways during busy periods. 
 

In an effort to help with congestion, Daly has relocated the office to Room 111, City Hall.  The added service windows and increased seating areas have already provided a more efficient office capable of handling a larger volume of business every day.  Daly and the other city officials toured the new site and some newly constructed administrative offices and managerial suite.
 

Daly has outlined a very clear-cut and comprehensive plan to implement these changes.  “No one wants to pay taxes, but it’s a fact of life,” said Daly.  “My office strives to make this process as painless as possible, as we stress under the new management — to be as courteous and as efficient as possible.”
 

Some of the strategies that Daly has outlined include: expanding the options to pay tax and water bills to include credit and debit cards and by making payments via the phone and internet.  Daly also has created an instruction sheet that walks customers through the payment process step-by-step.  The instructions themselves have been translated to the languages of four (4) of St. Louis’ most prominent ethnic groups. 
 

Daly has also instituted a label program that will reduce processing time of water bills by up to one day versus the previously policy of three days or more.  
 

In an effort to handle the high volume and demand of four critical operations in the Collector’s office, Daly has also had all of the Property-Tax Department employees cross-trained, so that each employee is capable of responding to the needs of its customer base.
 

Daly has removed the long-standing automated equipment which the department relied on heavily in the past.   “People who’re paying their taxes are already tense, they don’t need to be talked down to by a machine,” said Daly.  “The best way to service the taxpayers is to talk to them ourselves.”
 

Daly defended his policy on personal one-on-one contact with the customer, as it may appear to be an outdated method.  “We feel that this is the most sure-fire way to ensure that we handle each and every issue personally,” said Daly.
 

Daly has dismantled the automated system and has also re-designed many of his forms to include the most direct access numbers.  The Collector of Revenue hopes that this will ease frustration by limiting the number of times that customers are transferred.  Each employee in his office is also equipped with a phone listing of the prominent numbers in City Hall to assist taxpayers in reaching the correct office to deal with any other pressing matters involving City business.
 

The Office of the Collector of Revenue employs 99 employees at City Hall.  The office annually collects approximately $600 million for the City of St. Louis.  The Collector is charged by State Statute to collect real-estate and personal property taxes from city residents and disburse the funds collected to fourteen different agencies, including the City, State, public library, Zoo, etc.  The Collector is charged by City Ordinance to collect City Earnings Tax and water rate bills for the Water Department.  The earnings tax provides roughly one-third of the City’s operating budget.  

 

 

 

Photo By: Gentry Trotter

Collector of Revenue Employee Appreciation BBQ

Posted on October 6, 2007

On October 4th, I was pleased to treat the employees of the office to a BBQ in Poelker Park.  The luncheon was a small sign of my appreciation for the hard work that they have devoted in my first six months in office.  Change is never easy, and as our office continues to evolve, I appreciate everyone’s patience, dedication and cooperation. 

 

 

 

Once again, thanks so much for you hard work, and I look forward to another productive six months. 

 

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