Residents receiving tax notices

Soon there will be something even more irritating than junk mail in the mailboxes of Cherokee County property owners — annual tax notices.

The county is expected to mail 33,038 tax notices today or early next week to businesses and individual real estate owners, Cherokee County Treasurer Jackie Williams said.

Owners of boats also will receive tax notices.

The number of tax notices is up more than 500 from last year's total.

County residents have until Jan. 15 to pay their property taxes. After that date, a 3 percent penalty will be added. That fee increases to 10 percent on Feb. 2. On March 16, the fee jumps to 15 percent and an extra $5 is added to cover county expenses to contact the property owner.

The unpaid taxes are then turned over to the county delinquent tax collector.