The addition of driver's license duties prompted Tax Collector Mike Olson to add the 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. hours
By BRIDGET HALL GRUMET
Published October 12, 2003
NEW PORT RICHEY - Having trouble finding the time to renew your driver's license or register your boat? There's hope.
Tax Collector Mike Olson is adding Saturday hours at three locations starting Oct. 18, giving time-crunched residents another opportunity to stop by his office.
The branches in Gulf Harbors, Land O'Lakes and Dade City will open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (The branches in Zephyrhills and the West Pasco Government Center will not.)
"We think it's going to be a very useful service for people," Olson said. "The Saturday (hours) will give another option for people who found it inconvenient to get to the office during the normal business hours or the extended hours we have on Tuesday and Thursday."
The weekday hours will remain the same: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; and 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.
Olson extended his Tuesday and Thursday hours several years ago to make his office more accessible, he said. Adding Saturday hours seemed the next logical step, he said - especially now that Olson's office handles driver's licenses, which draws thousands more visitors every month.
"The driver's license function is probably the prime motivator for (adding Saturday hours) at this time," Olson said.
But all of the other tax collector services will be available on Saturdays, too.
"Somebody could inquire about their taxes, make a tax payment," Olson said. "They can do anything during the Saturday hours that they can do during the week."
To make sure they have enough time to finish, however, people must start any driving test at least an hour before the office closes, he said. The rule applies to the written test as well as the road test.
The new hours won't add much in operating costs, Olson said. He will juggle existing employees' schedules to cover the Saturday shift.
The office will be closed on Saturdays that are part of a holiday weekend.
Only a handful of tax collectors across the state have Saturday hours, although the idea was widely discussed at the Florida Tax Collectors Inc. conference this fall, the group's president said.
"There's definitely a trend toward improving customer service in all areas," said Chris Hughes, the tax collector of Okaloosa County. "Some communities don't need (extended weekday or Saturday hours), but you're going to see more people provide extended hours in other communities where it's a service."
- Bridget Hall Grumet covers Pasco County government. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6244, or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6244. Her e-mail address is hall@sptimes.com
Added hours
Starting Saturday, the Pasco County Tax Collector's Office will be open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the following locations:
Gulf Harbors Tax Collector Building, 4720 U.S. 19, New Port Richey
Central Pasco Government Center, 4111 Land O'Lakes Blvd., Land O'Lakes
East Pasco Government Center, 14236 Sixth St., Dade City
