March 2020, Vol. 14, Issue 3

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Last month I was honored to receive the Bunny Steinman Award from the Democratic Club of Greater Boynton. Steiman was a pillar of the Florida Democratic Party and left a legacy of selfless service to the community.

Dear Friends,

Since 2006 one of my top priorities has been to modernize this agency and enhance the level of service we provide. I am excited to share that clients can now use their mobile device or contactless credit/debit card to make a secure payment in our offices.

March is always a busy month at our service centers. Clients should expect longer wait times due to the last-minute rush to pay property taxes ahead of the March 31 deadline. Avoid the lines by paying online and use eCheck, it’s free! Remember, property taxes become delinquent April 1 and cannot be paid online. March also brings a surge of young people coming in to get their driver license during Spring Break.

Finally, don’t forget to vote in the upcoming elections. Twenty municipal elections will be held in conjunction with the Presidential Preference Primary March 17.

Warm regards,

Anne M. Gannon
Constitutional Tax Collector, Serving Palm Beach County

Agency Offers More Secure, Convenient Payment Methods

We are pleased to announce our offices are now accepting contactless payment methods such as Apple Pay and Samsun Pay. Contactless credit/debit cards – cards that do not need to be inserted or swiped at the payment terminal – are also accepted.

Contactless payments are made possible by near field communication (NFC). This technology allows two devices, such as a smartphone and a payment terminal, to talk to each other when they are in close proximity. The data used in an NFC transaction is encrypted and dynamic. This makes it one of the most secure forms of payment available today.

The software upgrade brings another benefit, a reduction in convenience fees charged by the credit/debit card vendor from 2.5% to 2.4%. Convenience fees are collected by the credit card vendor and not retained by our office.

Prepare You Teen for the Driver’s Seat

Securing an appointment for your teen to take their driving test can go a long way in reducing their pretest stress. Schedule an appointment 90 days in advance. Our service centers (with the exception of the Downtown West Palm Beach Service Center) administer driving tests Monday – Friday 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Road tests are suspended in inclement weather.

Before taking the test, we recommend your teen download our free “In the Driver’s Seat” app. For additional tips to help your teen prepare for the driving test, visit our teen driver section.

Ask Anne: Avoiding Phone Scams

Question: Anne, I have an elderly mother who has been receiving calls from scammers pretending they’re from a government agency. Do you have any advice to help protect our seniors from scammers? – Beverly, West Palm Beach

Anne: Hello, Beverly! Unfortunately, phone scams are far too common. Scammers will try to scare or trick you into giving them your personal information and money. My best advice is to always remember banks and government agencies do not call you and ask for your personal information over the phone. Also, you should know that government agencies will never require payment by cash, gift card, pre-paid debit card or a money transfer app. If you receive a questionable phone call, simply hang up and report it to www.ftc.gov/complaint.

Employees Donate Over $32,000 to Nonprofits in 2019

Giving back to the community benefits us all, and in 2019, I am proud to report our agency employees helped nonprofits improve the lives of families and homeless children in Palm Beach County and beyond. Employees raised $32,276.00 to support Families First of Palm Beach County, Living Hungry and the Salvation Army. Donations to the Salvation Army helped fund relief efforts in the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian.

These donations are special because every dollar raised and every item donated comes directly from our employees. I am extremely grateful to our generous employees who always step up whenever they see a need in the community. Please visit our Community Involvement section to learn more about Tax Collector Office employees’ charitable giving.

 IMPORTANT 2020 ELECTION DATES & DEADLINES

For more information, please visit the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections website.

Important Dates & Deadlines