9 Investigates Seminole Co. tax collector leaving free office for $110K space

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — 9 Investigates learned the Seminole County Tax Collector is moving out of his free office space and into a new space that will cost taxpayers $110,000 per year.

Investigative Reporter Karla Ray found out that new space is just around the corner from the agency's current Lake Mary office, which will not close.

Both Lake Mary locations will provide the same services, but the new location will be by appointment only. The new location will also hold administrative offices, which are currently housed in the County Administration building in downtown Sanford.

It’s not often you hear comments about good service when getting a new driver’s license or renewing your registration, but at the Lake Mary branch of the Seminole County Tax Collector’s Office, 9 Investigates found it was the norm.

“It took approximately three minutes, at most,” customer Mickey Mahaffey said.

“Very pleasant, quick, efficient, I got everything I needed,” customer Rickey Lee said.

“He got in, his number was 509, and they were on 507, so it was really very speedy,” Francis Lee said.

It surprised customers to learn the agency is adding another Lake Mary location to provide the same services. The new offices will be right around the corner from the Primera Boulevard location, along Sun Drive in the 5/3 Bank building.

“We do about 600 people here every day, and if you take a look, we only have about 30 parking spots here,” Chief Administrator Mike McLean said.

Tax Collector Joel Greenberg was unavailable for comment, but he and McLean along with other administrators, will move out of their free office space in Sanford to the new space, which will cost taxpayers $110 thousand per year to lease.

“Why not be good stewards of the taxpayer dollars and stay where it’s free?” Karla Ray asked.

“Understood.  We understand these dollars are coming from the community,” McLean said.  He explained the second Lake Mary location was approved by the Department of Revenue to provide services on appointment in hopes of alleviating what he says is often a packed parking lot.

Customers told us they don’t see the problem with the current space.

“I can’t imagine, we got up front,” Francis Lee said.

“I see the parking lot, but I’ve always been lucky and find a parking place.  I’ve never had to wait,” Mickey Mahaffey said.

We also asked McLean if his private business had any influence on the decision to move offices.  He owns an insurance agency that happens to be within a mile of the new office space.  He told us it was just a coincidence.

There are no Tax Collector branches in Longwood or Winter Springs.

Cox Media Group