Pontem Property Tax Clients Enjoy Success with their Software

"We just switched to Pontem and can't believe how easy it is to use! We continue to be amazed with features in the product and time it saves us as compared to our previous software. Working smarter not harder definitely applies to Pontem."

Patricia Taney, Clerk, City of Independence, Kentucky

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"Hamlin Township has been using Pontem’s Tax Receipting software for many years. When the county switched to BS&A from their mainframe system, we like many other Eaton County townships, chose to stay with Pontem. I get my tax roll data from the county which uses BS&A and import the data into my Pontem Tax Receipting program. I also export my data back to the county treasurer in a format he can import directly into his software. The process runs smoothly and I have never experienced any problems with importing or exporting any of my data. Nor has the County Treasurer. Actually, it couldn’t be easier or more trouble-free.”

Denise Perkins, Treasurer, Hamlin Township, Michigan

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"Our professional association goes back many years to a chance meeting in the hallway of the Presque Isle County Courthouse to use of your company’s software for many years now. I must say that it has been a very pleasurable experience.

When Presque Isle County moved from rural-style addresses to city-style addresses for their 911 emergency system, your company assisted with a strong address application which allowed address verification. It was necessary to have a high success rate to allow the Enhanced 911 system to go live. Strong address verification also allows Cass Certification whereby the Post Office allows discounts for automation mail rates thus saving money.

Your Equalization System is second to none. Our Department has been able to do side-by-side compares which has enabled consistency in spelling and punctuation. A Top Ten Taxpayer report only works well if the same owner name is spelled consistently in the data base. The side-by-side compare allows data integrity.

I spent some time analyzing the time it takes two departments to enter deed information – the Register of Deeds Office and the Equalization Department and felt it was redundant and lead to unnecessary errors. Your company built an application which allows the ability to download deeds from the Register of Deeds Office, so deeds don’t have to be re-keyed by the Equalization Department, preventing errors and allowing us to do the task of equalization with fewer in-house resources.

Now, I understand that your company has partnered with Patriot Properties Inc. which will allow more improvement to tax management and the financial position of local units of government. A good property taxation system requires up-to-date information. Ideally, a GIS system developed in conjunction with a good appraisal software package. A good appraisal software package records all the properties and allows for analyzing size, location, availability of influencing property value. Assessors must continue to provide accurate and consistent real personal property valuations while facing challenges such as an increasing number of properties to value, complex tax laws and exemptions, and the need for public access to records. In most cases, this must be accomplished with the same or fewer in-house resources. I commend you on your association with Patriot Properties Inc. to help make this happen."

Laurie Spencer, CMAE4, Equalization/GIS Director, Grand Traverse County, Michigan

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After more than twenty years of first-rate service, my assessing software was finally defeated by 2010’s .997 multiplier. Unable to function with a negative IRM, SAMS simply could not correctly calculate taxable values. Hard as I tried, I could not figure a way around the problem.

Patriot came to my rescue. I exported prior and current values to Damian, who used Michigan’s methods to calculate 2010 taxable values, sending the results back to me so assessment change notices could be printed. And then he created the official 2010 City of Escanaba assessment roll, returning it to me for printing. On paper it doesn’t sound like much, but the effort and dedication were huge.

Wow! Talk about a test of Patriot Properties in Michigan! Talk about a test of service! You stepped up to rescue me and proved to be absolutely true to your word – service is high priority with Patriot. I can hardly wait to begin using the software. When Michigan approves, just let me know. I am ready to go and I’d like to be first in line. After all, I am the first to test taxable value calculations, right?

Thanks again to you and your staff for your help and your patience in our recent adventure. I cannot say enough about your willingness to help or about how pleased I am to have proof that your software works. And while, I am making thanks for all the good things that have happened, I should mention how grateful I am that Pontem introduced me and Michigan to your company. We have long needed a total solution for property tax management. And, after working with Pontem’s property tax software for so many years, I am certain that data integration between the two will work seamlessly. I’d say that Patriot and Pontem people are formed from the same type of integrity/honesty/ability clay."

Elizabeth H. Keller, Assessor CMAE 3, City of Escanaba, Michigan

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