Basic Duties of The Houston County Auditor-Treasurer include:
- The Auditor-Treasurer calculates tax rates and taxes due based on the levy request submitted by the county, cities, school districts and special taxing districts.
- Prepared the Truth in Taxation Notices and Property Tax Statements for all taxable real and personal property in Houston County.
- Maintains and collects property taxes and distributes collected funds to the proper taxing districts
- Works with tax credits and special tax deferments
- Maintains special assessments for cities and townships, applies the payments for collection and remits the annual installments to the proper taxing district
- Administers Tax increment Financing as it pertains to tax calculation
- Conducts Tax Forfeiture Land Sales on behalf of the county
- Maintains the tax roll through updates to ownership, splits, combinations and transfers
- Chief Elections Administrator for Houston County
- Serves as Deputy Registrar (License Center) for the county
- Processes liquor, gambling, auctioneer, tobacco and peddler/transient merchant licenses
- Acts as the bank and custodian of all County funds and cash assets
- Invests idle cash reserves into banking instruments such as CDs (certificate of deposit) and Money Markets (savings account)
- The department is required by law to maintain a set of records for all funds received and expended. Similar records are kept by the Houston County Finance Department. This provides a system of checks and balances necessary in all financial administration.
- The Auditor-Treasurer is elected by the citizens of Houston County to serve a four year term
