Charles
W.
Thomas
pinellas county tax collector
VISION 2021
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN
PINELLAS COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR
Prepared by:
Rachel Panter, Organizational Management Analyst
Brenna Haggar, Sr. Manager of Public Affairs
Revised: April 2017
CUSTOMER-FOCUSED EXCELLENCE
We continually pursue organizational excellence. | We empower our workforce to excel.
We serve our customers respectfully, accurately, and professionally. | We provide exceptional stewardship of public funds.
People l Excellence l Accountability l Respect l Leadership l Service
Pinellas County Tax Collector | 315 Court Street, 3rd Floor, Clearwater, FL 33756 | 727-464-7777 | taxcollect.com
Table of Contents
BUSINESS OVERVIEW ………….………………………………………...………… 2
STRATEGY MAP………………………………………………………………………. 4
VISION, MISSION, VALUES ………………………………………………………... 5
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN ……………………………………...……………... 6
CONCLUSION .………………………………………………………………………... 8
VISION 2021 1
Business Overview
The office of the Tax Collector is established under the Florida Constitution,
Article VIII. From collecting property taxes to issuing driver licenses, the Pinellas
County Tax Collector’s office serves nearly every resident of Pinellas County. As
an independently elected position that acts as the county’s chief revenue officer,
the Tax Collector is responsible for collecting and distributing a variety of local
and state taxes. Taxes collected include real estate, tangible personal property,
and tourist development. In addition, the office serves as an agent of multiple
state agencies, such as the Florida Department of Revenue, Florida Department
of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission, the Florida Department of Health, and the Florida Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services. Each year, the office collects more than $2
billion in tax revenues and driver license and motor vehicle fees. The Tax
Collector's office distributes those funds to the Pinellas County Board of County
Commissioners, the Pinellas County School Board, local cities, fire districts, and
other state and local taxing authorities.
The Florida Department of Revenue reviews and approves the Tax Collector’s
annual budget. Commissions and fees fund the budget paid by taxing authorities
to the Tax Collector for tax collection and distribution services. At the end of the
fiscal year, unused fees not required for operational expenses are returned to the
taxing authorities. On average, the Pinellas County Tax Collector's office returns
$10 million a year in unused fees.
The Tax Collector’s office works closely with other branches of county
government including, but not limited to, the Pinellas County Board of County
Commissioners, Property Appraiser, Clerk of the Circuit Court, and Supervisor of
Elections. The Tax Collector also collaborates with the Florida Tax Collectors
Association and statewide professional coalitions.
The Pinellas County Tax Collector’s strategic advantages begin with its core
competencies: workforce training and development, customer service excellence,
compliance and transaction accuracy, and continual process improvement.
Other key advantages include being a fee-based revenue office, offering multiple
state services at the local level, providing one-stop convenient locations
throughout the county, possessing an in-house training staff, and having a wellestablished career ladder process.
VISION 2021 2
Strategic challenges include the ability to maintain workforce capacity and
facilities required to meet customer expectations, the ability to remain competitive
in recruitment and retention of team members, and retention of institutional
knowledge when employees leave. Additional strategic challenges for the Tax
Collector’s office can also come in the form of unforeseen legislative actions and
unfunded mandates.
In an effort to capitalize on the office’s strengths and mitigate strategic
challenges, the Tax Collector develops five-year strategic plans, which are
reviewed and updated annually. This strategic plan centers on four perspectives
and six goals adopted by the organization. These perspectives include 1.0
Financial Responsibility; 2.0 Exceptional Customer Service; 3.0 Organizational
Excellence; and 4.0 Engaged and Knowledgeable Workforce.
The Tax Collector has developed specific goals that link to each perspective
area:
1.1 Ensure Fiscal Accountability
2.1 Exceed External and Internal Customer Service Expectations
3.1 Improve Processes for Increased Efficiency and Effectiveness
3.2 Ensure Regulatory Compliance and Operational Excellence
4.1 Empower the Workforce to Succeed Now and in the Future
4.2 Make a Positive Impact through Community Partnerships
All initiatives have been developed to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable,
Relevant, Time bound (SMART).
VISION 2021 3
Pinellas County Tax Collector Strategy Map
Mission:
We continually pursue organizational
excellence by:
§
§
Empowering our workforce to excel;
Serving our customers respectfully,
accurately, and professionally; and
§ Providing exceptional stewardship
of public funds.
1.0 Financial Responsibility
1.1 Ensure fiscal accountability
2.0 Exceptional Customer
Service
2.1 Exceed External and Internal
Customer Service Expectations
3.0 Organizational Excellence
3.1 Improve Processes for Increased
Efficiency and Effectiveness
3.2 Ensure Regulatory Compliance and
Operational Excellence
4.0 Engaged & Knowledgeable
Workforce
4.1 Empower the Workforce to Succeed
Now and in the Future
4.2 Make a Positive Impact through
Community Partnerships
VISION 2021 4
VISION 2021 5
Five-Year Strategic Plan
The goals of the strategic plan and objectives within each goal will guide the
direction of the Tax Collector’s office for the next five years. Each component of
the plan serves to fulfill the Tax Collector’s mission and supports the
organization’s vision of “Customer-Focused Excellence.”
Perspectives, Goals, and Objectives
1.0 Financial Responsibility
1.1 Ensure fiscal accountability
Reviewed annually as part of the strategic planning process
2.0 Exceptional Customer Service
2.1 Exceed external and internal customer service expectations
Objectives – Target Dates:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Update customer requirements for all segments – FY17 Q4
Implement internal customer service program – FY17 Q4
Open North County Driving Range – FY18 Q4
Open South County Branch – FY19 Q4
Close Tarpon Spring Branch – FY17 Q3
Remodel NC Branch & 2nd Floor Expansion – FY17 Q4
Implement Optimum Solutions for Branch Operation – FY19 Q4
Pilot Toll Violation Clearances – F717 Q4
Explore Fingerprinting Services – FY17 Q4
3.0 Organizational Excellence
3.1 Improve processes for increased efficiency and effectiveness
Objectives – Target Dates:
10. Implement uploading property tax corrections to PAO – FY17 Q4
11. Coordinate branch security audits – FY17 Q3
12. Phase 1 – Exploration – FY17 Q3
13. Phase 2 – Implementation – FY18 Q4
14. Abra Improvements – FY18 Q2
15. Implement Optimum Solutions for Processing Support – FY17 Q4
16. Develop Master Report Database – FY18 Q2
VISION 2021 6
17. SharePoint Governance Board – FY17 Q4
18. Q-Flow Upgrade & Appointment System – FY18 Q4
19. Implement RenewExpress – FY18 Q4
20. Refresh DL Printer – FY18 Q1
21. Implement Office 365 & Exchange – FY18 Q3
22. Explore Purchase Order Automation – FY17 Q4
23. Explore Travel Authorization Automation – FY17 Q4
3.2 Ensure regulatory compliance and operational excellence
Objectives – Target Dates:
24. Finalize Cashiering Policy & Procedure – FY17 Q4
4.0 Engaged and Knowledgeable Workforce
4.1 Empower the workforce to succeed now and in the future
Objectives – Target Dates:
25. Refresh annual awards program – FY18 Q2
26. Refresh annual workforce satisfaction/engagement survey – FY18 Q3
27. PCTC Policy Review – FY17 Q3
28. Develop Cashiering Curriculum – FY18 Q2
29. Salary Study - Exempt Positions – FY17 Q4
4.2 Make a positive impact through community partnerships
Objectives:
30. Maintain >60% donor level for driver license transactions – Continuous
VISION 2021 7
Conclusion
In an effort to provide the highest quality customer service, and to create an
attractive, rewarding work environment, the Pinellas County Tax Collector’s office
has developed the preceding strategic plan. This plan incorporates the office's
perspectives of Financial Responsibility, Exceptional Customer Service,
Organizational Excellence, and an Engaged and Knowledgeable Workforce. It
also takes into account the office's core values of People, Excellence,
Accountability, Respect, Leadership, and Service in the following manner.
The Pinellas County Tax Collector’s office is committed to high standards of
accountability, service, and the continual pursuit of organizational excellence.
Every aspect of this strategic plan serves to fulfill these standards.
VISION 2021 8