Holiday gifts should not be the only thing on to-do lists across the city and county. For those property owners in Selma and Dallas County, property taxes are due by Dec. 31, those not paying will be delinquents as of January 2013.

Frances Hughes, tax assessor for the county said she has seen a change in those persons applying for property tax exemptions in 2012.

“I’m concerned that some who have normally come in by now to reapply for their exemptions, have not come in and I don’t know why,” Hughes said. “The deadline for applying for an exemption is Dec. 31”

Hughes said she has seen far less people come in this year than in years past to file for exemptions. Anyone 65 years old and older or any who are disabled can apply for a property tax exemption. Those who have applied in years past must reapply every single year.

“I don’t know if its that the forms have changed this year or what but if people have questions with their forms we can gladly help them fill those out,” Hughes said.

Those exempt from the 2011 property taxes were sent notices on Oct. 1, but Hughes said people might be ignoring those reminders that they have to reapply for exemptions.

The money collected for property taxes, funds the county and city general funds and contributes to the overall building of roads and bridges and helps the schools. The property tax deadline is the same for homes in the city and county.

Tax collector for the city of Selma, Roosevelt Goldsby, said any money not collected through the property tax, results in delinquents and ultimately hurts the city.

“Any money we do not collect, the city cannot use,” Goldsby said. “There is a 12 percent interest rate after taxes are not paid on Dec. 31 and it compounds daily. In May we auction off the houses that we have not collected taxes for.”

He said there have been no changes made this year to how the taxes are paid and when they are paid. The same property tax rates remain. The general fund is 7.8 mills, the bond fund is 7.4 mills, the school board fund is 11.8 mills and the total Selma city property tax rate is 27 mills.