Scott County Treasurer, Sheryl Jent, reminds everyone that Monday, May 10 is the payment deadline for SPRING 2015 property tax, payable in 2016. The statements will be mailed out Friday, April 15.

Jent states the taxpayers have several payment options: 1) In-person at the Treasurer’s office located on the east side of courthouse. 2) Locked drop-box located wall of Treasurer’s office to avoid waiting in line. 3) Call 812-752-8414 to pay by phone; however, credit/debit card transaction fees do apply. 4) Mail check along with payment coupon to: Scott Co. Treasurer, 1 E. McClain Avenue, Suite 140, Scottsburg, IN 47170. Non-sufficient funds will void tax payment. Mailed payments must have a Postal Service postmark on or before May 10, 2016. Receipt(s) can be mailed to taxpayer if self-addressed stamped envelope is enclosed with payment.To ensure prompt posting of your tax payment, please detach and return the SPRING payment coupon with your payment or write parcel number on check. Please remember the statement you receive includes both SPRING and FALL coupons; therefore, statements are NOT mailed again in the FALL. Due to the increase of counterfeit currency, patience is asked while the staff inspects “ALL BILLS” when paying by cash.

Banks also conveniently accept tax payments and offer Saturday hours that the courthouse does not. Hours of operations are:

YOUR COMMUNITY BANK

(Scottsburg and Austin)

Mon, Tues, Thurs 8:00-4:30; Wed & Sat 8:30-Noon; Fri 8:30-5:30

NEW WASHINGTON STATE BANK

Mon, Tues, Thurs 8:30-5; Wed & Sat 8:30-Noon; Fri 8:30-5:30

STOCK YARDS BANK

Mon, Tues, Wed & Thurs 9-4; Fri 9-5:30

SCOTT CO. TREASURER’S OFFICE

Mon – Fri 8:30-4:30

The Treasurer says if you can’t pay the entire tax amount due, please come in and make a partial payment to avoid any additional penalty. Partial payments are accepted year round. Please keep in mind any unpaid taxes will automatically receive penalty after May 11.

The following credit/debit cards are accepted as payments: Visa, MasterCard, Discover & American Express; however, there is a $2 portal admin fee plus 2% of property tax amount that is added and collected by LoGO Indiana. If your mortgage company is responsible for the payment of your taxes, please forward statement to them immediately.

Questions regarding: Assessments – Assessor’s Office – 752-8436.

Exemptions/Deductions – Auditor’s Office – 752-8408

Taxes – Treasurer’s Office – 752-8414.

Voters in Indiana have sat on the sidelines since January, watching results of primary elections and party caucuses in other states whittle down potential Presidential candidates.

But Indiana will be in the political spotlight as the May 3 primary election is conducted. Not only will Scott County voters get to choose a nominee for President, they also have a few local contests to decide on both the Democrat and Republican tickets.

Both the local Republican and Democrat Party slates offer a contest for District 2 County Commissioner. Three Republicans filed for the at-large seats on the County Council. Two of the three Democrat incumbents in those at-large seats also filed, but they've got company. Four other Democrat candidates are also running.

On the Republican ticket this May 3, the District 1 County Commissioner seat nominee is Marvin L. “Lynn” Robinson. He has no opposition.

Robert “Bob” Tobias, the incumbent, refiled to retain the District 1 Commissioner seat on the Democrat ticket. He too is unopposed.

Primary voters will be choosing between Republicans Christopher “Chris” Albertson, currently a County Councilman, and Michael “Mike” L. Jones on May 3 to serve as their party's nominee for District 2 County Commissioner. On the Democrat side, incumbent Larry Blevins will face challenger Mike E. Nichols at the polls for the seat.

The contest to fill three at-large seats on the County Council attracted Republican candidates Diane L. Mullins, Larry Haven and David L. West.

On the Democrat side for the three Council seats, incumbents Iva Gasaway and Mike Zollman are among candidates. Incumbent Councilman Raymond Jones chose not to run again. Democrat candidates also include, in alphabetical order, Jim Boswell, Robert D. Peacock, Donnie Richie and Chuck Sebastian. Boswell is the county's current surveyor and serves on the Scott County Area Plan Commission. Peacock formerly served on the County Council as has Richie. Sebastian is the local Democrat Party's chairman.

The Democrat ticket also has several candidates who are unopposed in their party's primary. Those include: incumbents Missy Applegate, Clerk of the Circuit Court; Annalee Harrison-Turley, County Recorder; William G. “Jerry” Buchanan, County Coroner; and Superior Court Judge Marsha Owens Howser.

Current County Treasurer Sheryl D. Jent is being challenged by political newcomer James D. Morgan on the Demo slate.

The sitting judge of the 6^th Circuit Court, Roger Duvall, a Democrat, is retiring at the end of December. Party candidates for his job include current County Prosecutor Jason M. Mount and attorney Joseph L. Payne. There is no Republican candidate for the post.

District 66 State Rep. Terry Goodin, a Democrat, has no opposition in the May primary.

Guy M. Townsend will serve as a Scott County delegate to the Democrats' state convention this year.

Democrat candidate John R. Gregg, running for Governor, is unchallenged.

Running for the Sixth Congressional District seat are five Democrats, Danny Frank Basham Jr., George Thomas Holland, Bruce W. Peavler, Ralph Spelbring and Barry Welsh. Basham is the current Lexington Township Trustee in Scott County.

Democrat candidates for the Ninth District U.S. Congressional seat are James McClure Jr., Bob Kern, Bill Thomas and Shelli Yoder.

John M. Dickerson of Indianapolis and Baron Hill, former Ninth District Congressman, are the Democrat Party candidates for the U.S. Senate seat.

U.S. Presidential candidates listed on the ballot for Democrats are Hillary Clinton, Roque De La Fuente, Bernie Sanders and Martin O'Malley, although O'Malley has since dropped out.

Aside from candidates in County Council and County Commissioner seats, Republican candidates for local offices include Mark A. Gardner, who is running for county surveyor.

Candidates for Republican precinct committeemen include David R. Hardin, Lexington 1; Chris Albertson,Vienna 2; and Scott A. Zellers, Vienna 6. Democrat precinct committeemen were selected in last year's election.

Republican State Convention delegate candidates are Donna R. Dowd, Phillip D. Dowd and Chris Albertson.

Current Governor Michael R. Pence is running unopposed for Governor on the Republican ticket. Joe Van Wye is the Republican for the District 66 State Representative seat.

Three Republicans are running for nomination to the junior U.S. Senator's seat. They include Eric J. Holcomb, Marlin A. Stutzman and current Ninth District Congressman Todd Young.

The Ninth District Congressional seat on the Republican side has candidates Robert Hall, Trey Hollingsworth, Erin Houchen, Brent Waltz and Greg Zoeller. Houchen is the former Erin Mount and a native of Scott County who now resides with her husband and family in Salem. She serves in the Indiana legislature. Zoeller is the current Indiana Attorney General.

Republicans seeking the Sixth District Congressional District job are the incumbent, Luke Messer, and challengers Charles “Chuck” Johnson Jr. and Jeff Smith.

The other contest currently on the Republican side is, of course, the U.S. Presidency. Candidates listed include Ted Cruz, John R. Kasich and Donald Trump as well as the names of drop-outs Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio and Rick Santorum.