Reminder: It's Time to Pay Your Property Tax Bill

If you're like me, the beginning of the month tends to sneak up on you.

If a birthday or a meeting is coming up on the first or the second—before I turn the calendar—I'm often dead meat or past deadline.

And so it is with the utmost love and affection that I tell you now TO GET OFF YOUR DUFF AND GET THAT PROPERTY TAX BILL PAID, MISTER!

Or Ms.

And don't make me tell you twice.

If you live in Kane County, the second installment of your property-tax bill is due Sept. 1. Here's what I wrote last year about the drop box. About 2,000 taxpayers use the drop box, and it's a line you can avoid by paying your bill tonight (Aug. 30) or tomorrow (Aug. 31.)

There are many good reasons not to miss the deadline, and the first three are money, money, money. The penalty for late payment is 1.5 percent if you pay from Sept. 2 through Oct. 1. It's a 3 percent penalty if you pay from Oct. 2 though Oct. 22.

I'm not sure what happens after Oct. 22, but I think we can safely say it's not pretty.

If you don't like the drop box, you can pay at a number of approved financial institutions. Here's a list, courtesy of the Kane County website.

You can pay by credit card, but it costs an additional 2.5 percent of the payment made. (I'm guessing you won't choose that option.)

You can pay by e-check, but that costs you $3.

You can pay by stopping by or the Treasurer's Office:

Kane County Treasurer
719 South Batavia Avenue, Building A
Geneva, IL 60134

And it's a little late for mailing, but if you wish, you can mail your payment to:

Kane County Treasurer
P.O. Box 4025
Geneva, IL 60134

Please make your check payable to Rick Nagel ... (just kidding.)

Checks are payable to KANE COUNTY TREASURER.

And for the record, the treasurer is David Rickert, and it's not his fault.