LITTLE ROCK — Pulaski County is working to collect the last bit of property taxes that have gone unpaid this year.
The county treasurer's office has pulled in about 92 percent of the $340 million owed. But about 80,000 tax bills have been ignored, putting the county on a cash hunt.
"It's kind of all hands on deck," County Treasurer Debra Buckner said this week.
With some taxpayers paying up after the Oct. 10 payment deadline, the county still is short about $24.6 million. That includes about $3 million in late-payment fees, according to the treasurer's office.
The county collects all personal, business and real-estate property taxes. It then doles out the money to such agencies as city governments, school districts, the Arkansas Children's Hospital and the Central Arkansas Library System.
The largest chunk of property taxes by far pays for school expenses. Depending on where the tax is assessed, about two-thirds to three-quarters of a typical property tax bill is earmarked for schools.
Arkansas, Pages 16 on 10/26/2007