Travis County Tax OfficeToday, Travis County offered a sneak peek and tour of the new Tax Office HQ, 2433 Ridgepoint Drive.
The tax office plans to complete its move in June. Tax office divisions will move in phases from its current location on Airport Boulevard. The move is expected to cause some disruption in customer service, but the drive-thru at 5501 Airport Blvd. will remain open until the move is complete. To find out what divisions move when, go to www.traviscountytax.org/newhq.
The tax office’s four branch locations, three of which feature drive-thru service, will remain open throughout the move.
“The Travis County Commissioners Court is pleased to present this new Tax Office headquarters that offers plenty of parking and building space to accommodate the tremendous growth of our county population,” said Commissioner Margaret Gomez. “We are proud that this building is named after Nelda Wells Spears, the state’s first Black tax assessor-collector and voter registrar, who served for five consecutive terms.”
Customers coming through the new tax office’s main entrance will be greeted by a large mural of Well Spears painted by Peruvian born Austin artist Niz.
Commissioner Brigid Shea said the new Tax Office HQ is designed to give Travis County residents a better customer-service experience and should provide plenty of room for expansion to keep pace with the county’s growth.
"It's no secret for anyone who's used the tax office that it was hard to find parking and they needed more space,” Shea said. “This new facility will be a welcome addition to Travis County customer services."
Bruce Elfant, the tax assessor-collector and voter registrar, said the new Tax Office HQ features the latest technology. “This office provides many upgrades we believe will be welcome additions by our customers.”
He added the dampening of COVID-19 should also help to give customers a more “normal” service experience at the tax office.
The pandemic created many issues, from closures to employees being out with the virus, Elfant said. “To top it off, our appointment and queuing system wasn’t reliable, and like many businesses, we faced staff shortages and had difficulty hiring new employees,” he added.
The pandemic did give the tax office an opportunity to expand its McKinney Falls and Oak Hill branches so they can serve more customers and by the end of the year, a new branch office with a drive-thru is expected to open on RM 620.
“The new Tax Office HQ gives us a new beginning,” Elfant said. “But even with that, customers need to use our online services whenever they can to renew their vehicle registration and pay property taxes.”