Lee County property tax bills to arrive in the mail next week

Homeowners, prepare for your property tax bill to arrive in the mail next week. The delayed bill means you have more time to pay, and you’ll still get a 4% discount if you pay early.

Pure Chance is the name of Scott Hufford’s boat. It has seen a lot of traveling from California to India and docking in 35 countries. Now, it is just one of the many things Hufford has to fix.

“The roofs gone. Took the lanai out completely. Threw my sailboat up against the dock. Just beat it up. Inside got flooded up to eight inches,” said Hufford.

Fixing the boat is important, but fixing the house is imperative. The process is slow, and draining

“We’re still finding areas where there’s water in it. You know, it’s like you don’t think to look, and we just found it in the stove drawer. It was full of water,” Hufford said.

Hufford estimates the damage will cost him anywhere from $40-50,000, and he’s waiting on a $2,900 property tax bill.

“It is what it is, you know. There’s death and taxes you got to do both,” said Hufford.

Lee County will send out its property tax bills the Wednesday before thanksgiving.

It is later than usual, but don’t worry, you will have more than a month to pay and collect the discount for paying early. That deadline is now December 31.

But what about the special session of the legislature the governor promised to address property taxes and hurricane damage?

“This special session which may provide some economic relief during the current tax season, is most likely going to be in the form of a refund,” said Lee County Tax Collector Noelle Branning.

The tax bill you’ll get in the mail reflects the value of your home and property from the start of the year, well before the hurricane.

If you’re dealing with damage, the Lee County property appraiser wants you to let them know so they can make adjustments for next year

“Make sure we know so that we’re reflecting on the property record, and you don’t get taxed for something you no longer have,” said Matt Caldwell, the Lee County property appraiser.

You can submit pictures of your damage on the Lee County property appraiser’s website. That will help them determine if you qualify under the governor’s executive order that allows people more time to pay if their home was destroyed or is uninhabitable.