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Digital Counties Survey Winner Deploys Tax Calculator

Montgomery County, Md., real estate agents use online property tax calculator that offers more accurate figures for potential homebuyers.

Potential homebuyers in Montgomery County, Md., now receive an accurate indication of the property taxes to expect on any given home purchase, thanks to the county's online tax calculator. The Montgomery County Council mandated creation of the calculator in response to purchaser confusion over receiving tax bills that differed from those paid by the previous owners. Regulations in the county limit the degree to which property taxes can rise after a home purchase.

"If somebody had been in a house for 15 to 20 years and suddenly decided to retire, they may be paying $4,000 to $5,000 in taxes, but the new owner might have to pay $8,000," said Steven Emanuel, CIO of Montgomery County.

The tax calculator, added to the county's portal earlier this year, has become a common selling tool for realtors. It helped Montgomery County rank second in the Center for Digital Government's Digital Counties Survey of counties with populations of a half million or more residents. The Montgomery County Department of Technology Services matches property appraisal GIS data with the county's tax table to calculate the taxes of each home. The agency created the calculator in two months' time and with existing resources. Emanuel said the project was roughly $60,000 worth of work.

Andy Opsahl is a former staff writer and features editor for Government Technology magazine.