Months after the Sarasota County Tax Collector’s office underwent its first leadership change in decades, it announced slightly reduced hours and service options on Thursday.
Starting on June 16, all four Sarasota County Tax Collector offices will be open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The new schedule reduces by 30 minutes in the afternoon how long each of the offices is open; the Tax Collector’s online services are still available 24 hours a day. Office services will also only be for county residents going forward, or for those establishing residency.
“Additionally, appointments or walk-in services will be provided to Sarasota County residents, businesses, seasonal residents, and those establishing residency only,” a press release said.
First-year Tax Collector Mike Moran said the change in hours would give his staff 30 minutes for mandatory audit procedures and state-required training.
“It is important to me that Sarasota County residents and business owners have priority service and receive the attention they paid for and deserve,” Moran said in an email to the Herald-Tribune.
Moran was formerly a Sarasota County Commissioner. Term-limited from seeking re-election last year to the County Commission, he challenged longtime incumbent Barbara Ford-Coates, who had been in office since 1984. For most of that time she was the only county-wide elected Democrat in Sarasota County.
The Tax Collector’s office handles driver licenses and identification cards, property tax records, vehicle registration, as well as licenses for hunting, fishing, and concealed weapons.
Christian Casale covers local government for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Email him at ccasale@gannett.com or christiancasale@protonmail.com cv
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota County Tax Collector announces office service to be restricted to local residents
Reporting by Christian Casale, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
