COLUMBIANA C0. Officials consider accepting credit for taxes and government service

Residents who use the proposed online payment option could be charged a fee.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- Columbiana County officials are examining a plan that would allow residents to pay for taxes and government services with credit cards.
But many questions about the effort remain unanswered. Most important is how much the service will cost and who will pay for it. It now looks as though users will foot all or part of the bill.
Preliminary proposals submitted to the county from banks and financial services firms interested in processing credit card transactions for the county will be examined later this week, county Treasurer Linda Bolon said Monday.
More answers on how the program will be run and its cost should emerge after county officials have had a chance to scrutinize the processing proposals and the cost of the service, Bolon said.
One thing county officials are certain of is that they don't want to spend county money to operate the program.
The county may be willing, however, to put up some money for one-time start-up costs, Bolon said. Right now, it's unclear how much those might be.
With the county wanting to avoid paying for operational costs, that puts responsibility for much of the program's expense in users' hands, Bolon added.
Online transactions, which will be similar to online shopping on the Internet, will likely have a fee attached that the user will pay, she said.
It's unclear whether fees will be applied for those who come to county offices wanting to pay with credit cards.
Typically, credit card companies charge vendors a fee for transactions. But Bolon said it's possible those fees may not apply to government transactions.
Paying would be easier
A primary advantage of the credit card program is convenience. The county now demands cash or checks.
Credit cards add to the payment options available to county residents, many of whom use them for most other expenses.
Bolon said some people have expressed interest in being able to pay by credit card so they can take advantage of promotional programs offered by credit card companies that reward users with discounts and similar incentives to use their card.
So far, the county treasurer and clerk of courts offices are the only county departments that are certain they'll be using the credit card payment program, Bolon said.
She added other departments will be eligible, though, and may sign onto the program as it develops.
It may be the end of this year, or sometime next year, before a credit card program is in place.
leigh@vindy.com