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Summary of Services
The Finance Department provides financial management of all Town funds. The departments maintains an accounting and reporting system in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), administers the town’s financial policies and procedures, helps in the preparation of all department/divisional budgets, monitors the adopted annual budget, administers the investment and debt portfolios, paying financial obligations, overseeing fixed assets records, maintaining the accounting and reporting system software, and works in conjunction with independent auditors preparing the Town’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). The Finance Department is also instrumental in working with the North Carolina Performance Measurements and Benchmarking Project and the Town’s long range Capital Improvement Projects.
Mission
The Finance Department exists to provide the highest attainable level of citizen-employee service while managing all aspects of the town’s finances in an open, accountable and timely manner in accordance with the Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act, the General Statues of the State of North Carolina, Federal laws and regulations, and sound principles of accounting and cash management in a creditable manner worthy of distinction and excellence.
Highlights
The Town of Matthews Finance Department has received national recognition in the form of a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for our Comprehensive Annual Finance Report (CAFR). This certificate of achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting that can be attained by a government entity. It is judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story. The certificate awarded for fiscal year ended 2006 marks the ninth consecutive year the award has been received by the Town of Matthews.
Budget
The 2007-2008 Governmental Budget for the Town of Matthews is $17,786,362 This budget accounts for all the services the Town provides to its citizens. Property taxes are levied on land, buildings, motor vehicles, boats, trailers, and income-producing personal property. The amount of tax is based on the assessed value of the property and the tax rate. For example, the tax bill for a home assessed at $100,000 would be calculated by multiplying the tax rate (.3075) by the assessed value (100,000) and dividing by 100. The tax owed on the $100,000 would be $307.50 per year.
Property tax bills for real estate and personal property are mailed to all property owners at the end of August each year. Property tax bills for motor vehicles are mailed three months after you register or renew your vehicle each year.
There are four ways to pay your taxes:
In person: The Tax Collector is located in the Robert L. (Bob) Walton Plaza at 700 East Stonewall Street, Charlotte. Hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
By mail: The address: City-County Tax Collector, P.O. Box 32247, Charlotte, NC 28232-2247. Make checks payable to City-County Tax Collector and mail both the tax payment stub and your check or money order.
By phone: Call toll free 1-877-533-0072. Use your debit or credit card.
The internet: Log on to www.co.mecklenburg.nc.us/cotax and navigate to “Pay Taxes Online.” Debit and credit cards are accepted.
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