Tax bills expected in early Sept.

County tax commissioner Louise Watson said the state recently approved the county tax digest — the county’s overall property value.

“So we are ahead of the game this time,” said Watson. “The bills should be going out about the first of September.”

Watson said that means property owners will have more time to pay their bills than in years past.

“It (the tax bills being mailed) will be about a month earlier, but the due date will still be Dec. 20,” said Watson. “This will give taxpayers another month to know how much their taxes are and maybe start on paying.

Madison County’s tax digest decreased in 2008 and 2009 from a peak of $681.7 million in 2007 to $672 million in 2009. But the digest increased by roughly half a percent in 2010 to $676 million.