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Press Releases |
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Commissioner of State Lands John Thurston Reminds You to Pay Your Property Taxes |
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LITTLE ROCK, AR—Commissioner of State Lands John Thurston would like to remind
you to pay your property taxes by the October 15th deadline. Property taxes help
fund public schools, libraries and emergency services that are essential to your
county. Failure to pay your taxes on time will result in added costs. “These
taxes are vital to the counties across this state. Without your tax dollars our
communities will suffer,” says Commissioner Thurston. Additionally, if taxes are
not paid within the following year your real property taxes may be certified to
the Commissioner of State Lands office for collection. Since October 15th falls
on a Saturday, tax payers should contact their county collector’s office to find
out what the last day to pay will be. If your taxes are delinquent and have been
certified to the Commissioner of State Lands office, we will accept payments
through October 17th. Please contact us at 501-683-3053 for additional
information on delinquent real property taxes. |
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Commissioner of State Lands Office Now Accepting Credit / Debit Card Payments |
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LITTLE ROCK, AR—Commissioner of State Lands John Thurston is pleased to announce
that his office is now accepting credit and debit cards as a form of payment for
delinquent property taxes. Right now this service is limited to walk-in
customers only with long-term plans to expand it to mail-in, telephone and
online payments. “Our customers have been asking for this option for a long time
and I am happy to finally be able to offer them the convenience of paying with
their debit or credit cards,” says Commissioner Thurston. Other payment options
include: cash, check, certified check and money order. Customers may access
their delinquent tax information on our website (www.cosl.org), or call our
office at 501-683-3053, to learn how to begin the payment process. |
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Original Louisiana Purchase Plat Maps Now Available for
Viewing on Commissioner of State Lands Website |
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LITTLE ROCK, AR—Commissioner of State Lands John Thurston has announced that the
original Louisiana Purchase Plat Maps are now available for viewing on the
office website, www.cosl.org. These
maps date back to 1815 and are not only an invaluable source of information but
are a beautiful representation of early American cartography. Commissioner Thurston is proud to
have these documents as the latest addition to the online historical archives
available to the public. “Our office
is committed to preserving and showcasing the history of the Arkansas General
Land Office and the work done by the early surveyors of the State,” said
Thurston.
Interested Arkansans may visit the Commissioner of State Lands website
(www.cosl.org) to learn more about the history of Arkansas land or contact the
office at 501-324-9422 for further information.
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Commissioner of State Lands John Thurston
Begins His Term with Fresh Ideas for the Future |
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LITTLE ROCK, AR—Newly-elected Commissioner of State Lands John Thurston has
already begun implementing changes and improvements to the office. “My vision
for the future of the land office includes raising the public’s awareness of the
history, purpose and functions of the office, as well as ensuring that these
functions are carried out in the most timely and cost-effective ways,” said
Thurston.
The office has already introduced a new website design with not only an
updated look but with additional features aimed at keeping the public informed
about the Commissioner and the office.
One of these new features is a series of web videos explaining the
process that a tax delinquent parcel goes through from the time it is received
until it is either redeemed by the owner or sold at public auction. Over the coming months the
Commissioner will also be adding pages dedicated to community initiatives and
education.
Commissioner Thurston is also committed to the preservation and display
of historic documents and books that the land office holds. Currently the original General Land
Office plat maps, stemming from the land survey that began in 1815, are being
cleaned and restored so that they are preserved for years to come. The future plans for these documents,
and others held by the land office, are to display them in a safe environment
along with stories from Arkansas’s past so that the public may view and learn
about these treasures that have been stored for many years.
Interested Arkansans may visit the Commissioner of State Lands website
(www.cosl.org) to learn about the changes
taking place or contact the office at 501-324-9422 for further information. |
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