Porter County residents can now file their tax appeals without leaving their couches.

The assessor’s office unveiled its new web site Tuesday that will make trips to the county building almost unnecessary. 　By clicking on an easy-to-find banner, the appeals process can start in seconds.

“One of the issues I stressed when I took office was to give taxpayers the option to file appeals over the internet,” county assessor Jon Snyder said. “It took a collaborated effort to get this site done in time to accommodate the 2011 pay 2012 appeals window, but we are excited that it is finally ready to be launched.”

The web site, which is www.portercountyassessor.com

has been a work in progress since early August when the assessor contracted Golden Technologies to help in the creation. The goal was to have it running by appeals season and residents will indeed have the ability to appeal on Friday, which is the day the Form 11 assessment notices begin getting mailed and appeals can be filed.

Along with appeals, residents will be able to use the web site for other uses. They will be able to enter the information requested on their green door hangers, find detailed property records, get property valuation history and get answers to some frequently asked question about the assessment and billing process.

“I believe in letting taxpayers do as much as possible without having to make a special trip to the county building,” Snyder said.

Another major goal was to make the web site as user friendly as possible. There are two large, easy-to-read links to begin the appeals and door hanger process and a main banner with clear explanations to navigate the rest of the page.

“We wanted to make it as simple as possible,” chief deputy Daniel Timms said. “One of the biggest complaints Jon heard on the campaign trail was that the old site was cumbersome.”

Posted 10/5/2011