JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Midnight is the deadline to get a break on your property taxes in Jacksonville.
The Tax Collector's office will cut the rate by 4 percent. After midnight its goes to 3 percent.
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That deadline was Nov. 30, but because that fell on Saturday, the deadline was extended through Monday.
There were people lined up at the Tax Collector's office Monday to take advantage of it. Residents can take advantage after hours by paying online.
If your taxes are paid in your escrow account, don't worry. More than half of the people in Duval County, however, pay property taxes themselves.
Della Moss was like many others waiting to pay her property taxes to take advantage of the savings.
"I like to pay them as soon as I can, but being a senior citizen with low income, it takes a while to get all of that rounded up," Moss said. "They never go down in the amount, they always go up. And it takes longer to get it gathered together."
Some are paying more this year because the City Council approved a property tax rate increase to keep city services such as libraries open and avoid layoffs in the Fire Department.
The city will collected about $1 billion in property taxes. Paying by midnight means a 4 percent savings. On Tuesday that drops to 3 percent, and then 2 percent in January and 1 percent in February. Taxes are due by March 31.
Tax Collector Michael Corrigan said usually about 50 percent pay by now.
"I prefer to do it today if I possible can," one resident said. "I have four properties I have to pay on. It will be a little bit of savings for me, probably $100 or so."
Many people with a mortgage may not think about having to pay a tax bill today.
"That is the advantage of having an escrow," Corrigan said. "Your mortgage company takes care of that for you. They all take advantage of that 4 percent discount."
To pay your property taxes online, click here.