Hillsborough County Tax Collector Unveils Annual Report: A Year of Accessibility and Accomplishments

Tax Collector Nancy C. Millan discusses expanded services, new technologies in the annual State of the Organization address released today

https://youtu.be/bjo2wDtVODk

TAMPA, Fla., March 11, 2024 – The Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Office set a new standard for accessibility in 2023, offering residents unmatched convenience and streamlined access to essential services. In the State of the Organization address released today alongside the annual report, Tax Collector Nancy C. Millan recaps the service expansions and innovative programs made available to residents in 2023 to support Hillsborough County’s rapid growth.

In 2023, the Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Office served over 900,000 customers, an increase of 19,000 over the previous year, collecting $3.1 billion in taxes and fees and processing more than 2.3 million transactions for Hillsborough County residents.

As detailed in the annual report released today, the office lists its expanded driver’s license services, new online and self-service options, implementation of AI technologies, community partnerships and staffing and talent development programs among its top achievements last year.

“In 2023, we focused our improvements on accessibility and finding new and innovative ways to provide better service experiences to our growing community.” said Tax Collector Nancy C. Millan. “We are immensely proud of our accomplishments and remain steadfast in our commitment to serving Hillsborough County with the highest standards of professionalism and efficiency.”

Tax Collector Millan highlighted future initiatives launching in 2024, including mobile units to bring motor vehicle and driver license services to the community, adding lockboxes with 24/7 access for contactless drop-off and pick up, launching podcasts available in both English and Spanish and expanding Title Express services.

Key highlights from the 2023 Annual Report include:

Expansion of Driver License Services: Doubling the number of road tests administered daily compared to last year by an additional 200 tests per day, they allocated additional staff resources, resumed in-vehicle testing, and extended office service hours. The office launched a Student Saturday initiative in October, offering exclusive weekend testing for high-school and college students.

Customer Service Improvements: Opened expanded North Tampa office space, increasing capacity to serve an additional 200 customers per day compared to the previous space. Added a convenient Downtown Express Center to the first floor of the County Center, including a registration renewal kiosk, self-service stations, and express transaction processing.

Innovation in Service Delivery: Leveraging technological advancements, the office introduced solutions such as Pockettalk translation devices, virtual agents to reallocate staff resources based on service demand, mobile ticketing systems, and chatbot enhancements. In 2023, over 98,000 users benefitted from Sofie, the online chatbot, which can now help customers make an appointment, estimate the fee to register their vehicle and take them to the payment portal to complete transactions.

Growing their Community Partnerships: Active engagement with the community through initiatives like the Kids Tag Art Program, which raised $35,000 last year for art programs in Hillsborough County schools, partnership with Lion’s World Vision Institute, and participation in initiatives to end human trafficking.

Building a Culture of Excellence: The office received recognition for its work culture, including the Top Workplaces National Culture Excellence Awards for diversity and inclusion and exemplary leadership as a women-led organization.

Fiscal Accountability: The office received a perfect financial audit for FY 2022 and 2023. With a commitment to fiscal responsibility and accountability, the office returned $26.3 million to Hillsborough County from excess fees collected above their operating budget.

The Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Annual Report for 2023 and State of the Organization video are available for viewing at https://youtu.be/bjo2wDtVODk.

For further information regarding services, locations, and to book appointments, visit www.hillstax.org

About the Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Office

The Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Office is responsible for collecting and distributing local property, tangible, business, and tourist development taxes. In addition, as an agent for the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, they provide motor vehicle, vessel and mobile home titles and registrations, issue disabled parking permits, issue driver licenses and ID cards, and administer written tests and road tests. They also collect tolls and clear toll violations as part of motor vehicle transactions.

Additionally, they partner with other state and local government agencies to issue certified copies of Florida birth certificates and to provide concealed weapons permits, vehicle for hire permits, and hunting and fishing licenses.

The taxes and fees we collect are distributed in accordance with Florida Statute to the appropriate agency or municipality to fund vital services at the state and local levels.

For more information about the Hillsborough County Tax Collector’s Office, visit their website at hillstax.org.

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