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Business & Tech

The Rotary Club News Corner

Richard Steele, Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner speaks to the Peachtree Corners Rotary Club

Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner Richard Steele was the guest speaker at the Peachtree Corners Rotary Club's weekly meeting on Monday. 

Commissioner Steele explained the various aspects of the Tax Commissioner’s office which has basically two functions, property tax collection and automobile tag sales. 

In 2010 the department served 874,000 customers, 300,000 where property tax customers and 574,000 where customers of the tag offices. Steele said last year the property tax collection constituted 75 percent and tag sales made up 25 percent of the county revenue. 

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An important point he made was that his office does not determine how much tax is paid, they are charged only with the collection. Determining the property value and taxable amount is a function of the Tax Assessor’s office. 

The process of assessment has been recently changed so it is now performed every year. This allows for the value fluctuations in the current real estate market. After the assessments are issued, the home owner has 45 days to appeal. 

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Steele assumed the duties of Gwinnett County Tax Commissioner on May 1, 2011, when Katherine Meyer, Tax Commissioner since 1984, retired. He previously held the positions of Chief Deputy Tax Commissioner, Director of Property Tax, and Department of Motor Vehicle Branch Manager in the Tax Commissioner’s office.

Before joining the Tax Commissioner’s office in 2005, Steele worked as Operations Manager for the UGA Campus Transit System and as a Budget Analyst for the CDC.

Steele received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Georgia in 1996 and is participating in the 2011-2012 class of Leadership Gwinnett.  He is a member of the Rotary Club of Lawrenceville and lives in Buford with his wife and two children.

 

Editor's note: The Peachtree Corners Rotary Club is made up of members from the surrounding communities including Norcross and Duluth and meets each Monday at noon in downtown Norcross at the . Visit the club's website for contact information and more details.

Come as a guest and learn more about Rotary. For membership information contact Sam Evans sam@goldenyearsadvisory.com or by phone at 770-828-8303.

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