Lincoln County assessor Randy Wintz said his office will begin taking exemption applications and personal property assessments Jan. 5, 2009.
The annual exemption and assessment period will continue through March 15, 2009.
Wintz said that Oklahoma law requires that all personal property be listed and assessed each year during the Jan. 1 through March 15 assessment period. Among the property that must be listed and assessed are tractors, farm machinery, farm equipment, business inventories, business fixtures and business equipment.
The assessor said state law defines mobile homes located on another person’s land as personal property. Those mobile homes also must be listed and assessed every year during the assessment period.
Wintz said any personal property not listed before the deadline must be assessed a valuation penalty as required by law. To avoid the penalty, property owners must return the assessment papers no later than March 15.
New homestead exemption applications, double homestead exemption applications and senior valuation freeze applications must also be filed no later than March 15 to be effective for the 2009 tax year.
Wintz said that 100-percent disabled veterans that have not previously applied should apply for an exemption that will exempt all the real estate tax on their homestead property. Qualified veterans must have a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs confirming their eligibility.
The assessor’s office, located in the Lincoln County Courthouse in Chandler, is open 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office will be open 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 7, 2009, and Saturday, March 15, 2009.
Wintz and the county deputy assessor will be at the following locations at the listed time on the listed dates, weather permitting:
• Wellston City Hall — 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 6 and 7, 2009.
• Agra senior citizens center — 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 8, 2009.
• Carney Community Center — 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 13, 2009.
• Avery Lutheran Church — 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 14, 2009.
• Tryon City Hall — 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 15, 2009.
• Prague City Hall — 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 20-22, 2009.
• Stroud City Hall — 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 27-29, 2009.
• Davenport Murphy Annex — 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 3, 2009.
• Kendrick Community Center — 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 3, 2009.
• Meeker City Hall — 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 4 and 5, 2009.
• Kickapoo Friends Mission — 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 10, 2009.
• Sparks School Building — 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 11, 2009.
• Mammoth Baptist Church — 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 11, 2009.
