How To Improve The Tax Collection In Dallas County

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1 Dallas County Tax Office 2009 & 2010 In Review John R. Ames, CTA Tax Assessor/Collector January 25, 2011

2 CABINET MEMBERS Shirley Jacobson Betty Holland Norman Kasal Wendy Fuqua Debbie Jones Corey Worsham Candi Scarso Darlene Beck Monica Sims Chief Deputy Accounting Director Process Initiatives Director IT Director Motor Vehicle Director Property Tax Director Customer Care Manager Special Assistant to the TAC Executive Assistant to the TAC

Process Initiatives Director IT Director Motor Vehicle Director Property Tax

3 MAJOR CAMPAIGN ISSUES Improve Customer Service Mail Property Tax Statements Timely Process Backlogged Refunds

4 CUSTOMER SERVICE Established Mission Changed the name from Telephone Information Unit to Customer Care Center. Analyzed Tax Office staffing and reallocated three full-time employees to the Customer Care Center. Customer Care Center Results Average Speed to Answer 103 seconds 34 seconds Abandoned Calls 55,011 calls 8,529 calls Service Level * 48.25% 77.07% * Calls answered in 20 seconds or less Re-vamped and updated the website to be more customer friendly and accessible. Created a Customer Focused attitude in all offices.

Customer Care Center Results 2008 2010 Average Speed to Answer 103 seconds 34 seconds Abandoned Calls 55,011 calls 8,529 calls Service

5 PROPERTY TAX STATEMENTS 2009 statements mailed October 5, statements mailed October 4, October collections up over 2008 by 1,559% or $59,414, October collections up over 2009 by 18% or $11,331,105. Replaced duplicate tax statements with postcards saved $26,000 in 2009 and $44,000 in Reduced duplicate payments, refunds, and research requests. Reduced December/January month-end rush by the public. Increased annual County collections: 2008 = 98.13% 2009 = 98.28% Increased collections % provided Dallas County with $ 559,110

Replaced duplicate tax statements with postcards saved $26,000 in 2009 and $44,000 in 2010.

6 REFUNDS PROCESSED TIMELY Appointed a new Refunds Manager processed a backlog of 27,864 overpayment refunds for $31,709, processed an eight-month backlog of appraisal district supplements generating value and exemption changes resulting in over 40,793 refunds. Reviewed and researched stale-dated checks three years or older to be transferred to the general fund. Providing the Dallas County General Fund with $ 3,904,502

2009 processed an eight-month backlog of appraisal district supplements generating value and exemption

7 PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS FOR ENTITIES Currently collect for over 70 cities, schools, PID s, special districts and county wide districts. New entities 2010 City of Irving $ 74, City of DeSoto $ 25, City of Richardson $ 61, City of Glenn Heights $ 9, Candle Meadow PID $ 1, Desoto ISD $ 27,918 Removed 2011 City of Carrollton Denton County ($ 68,027) Increasing Tax Office Cost Recovery by $132,670

New entities 2010 City of Irving $ 74,533 2011 City of DeSoto $ 25,709 2011 City of Richardson $ 61,759 2011

8 IMPLEMENTATION OF SCOFFLAW First Urban County in Texas to implement an innovative and comprehensive Scofflaw Program began serving cities. Current cities in program: Garland, Dallas, Mesquite, Rowlett Cities with Interlocal Agreement in testing: DeSoto, Irving Cities who have expressed an interest in the program: University Park, Highland Park, Grand Prairie, Richardson, Cedar Hill Total vehicle registrations refused in this program year-to-date 3, Cost recovery from cities: DCIT = $75,177 & DCTO $67,293 Increasing Dallas County Cost Recovery by $ 142,470

Current cities in program: Garland, Dallas, Mesquite, Rowlett Cities with Interlocal Agreement in testing: DeSoto, Irving Cities who have

9 MOTOR VEHICLE IMPROVEMENTS Contracted with AAA for vehicle registrations three locations. Implemented one-line concept for titles and registrations. Utilized Branch Analysis to improve staffing. Adequately staffed branches yield better customer service. Employee incentives increased from 2009 to 2010 by 9%. Accuracy, attendance and production 63% of eligible staff receive incentive pay. Branch facilities refreshed. Transitioned from an agent of Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV). Presenting reorganization of Motor Vehicle Department next week. Saving Dallas County General fund $ 264,407

Accuracy, attendance and production 63% of eligible staff receive incentive pay. Branch facilities refreshed.

10 E-COMMERCE 2009 Legislation must accept credit cards for All types of property tax accounts. August 2010 Dallas County Tax Office put out a full-service RFP for all e-commerce solutions contract awarded to JP Morgan Chase. Negotiated the lowest fee for credit cards by a tax office in Dallas County. Credit Card Payment 2.3% of transaction. Debit Card Payment - $3.95 per transaction. E-Checks at 25 per transaction. Saving the Dallas County General Fund $ 5,363,223

Morgan Chase. Negotiated the lowest fee for credit cards by a tax office in Dallas County. Credit Card Payment 2.

11 BUDGET, COMMISSIONS AND REVENUES Dallas County 54% of County Budget Property Taxes $ 378,327,122 Special Collections $ 726,902 Beer & Wine Fees $ 390,145 Road & Bridge Fees $ 19,443,850 $ 398,888,019 Contracted entities $ 2,954,430,549 TxDMV $ 108,931,350 Comptroller $ 248,198,984 $ 3,311,560,883 Collected Annually by the Dallas County Tax Office $ 3,776,541,636

19,443,850 $ 398,888,019 Contracted entities $ 2,954,430,549 TxDMV $ 108,931,350

12 BUSINESS PARTNER ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Commissioners Court Administration Budget & Evaluation Purchasing Facilities/Communications Information Technology Human Resources Audit/Payroll Community Service Dallas County Security Homeland Security & Emergency Mgmt. Dallas Central Appraisal District Collin, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Rockwall and Tarrant County Appraisal Districts Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP ACT Programmers National Data Services, Inc. Bank of America JP Morgan Chase Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Texas State Comptroller Fellow Elected Officials If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself ~Henry Ford

Dallas Central Appraisal District Collin, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Rockwall and Tarrant County Appraisal Districts Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP ACT

13 Thank You Dallas County Tax Office John R. Ames, CTA Tax Assessor/Collector

Risks Dollars Policies/Administration Technology Management

Risks Dollars Policies/Administration Technology Management Overview by: Virginia Porter, Dallas County Auditor Auditing the Tax Office by: Tim Morton, Dallas County Vehicle Registration by: Julie Hillhouse, Tarrant County Tax Office Reorganization by: Kathy Hollomon,