People on Marco Island are celebrating the opening of a new Collier County tax office in the city, more than a year after the previous one was shut down due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian.
The hurricane severely impacted the sole Collier County Tax Office on Marco Island, located at Winterberry Drive, leading to its closure. It was deemed more than 50% damaged, according to FEMA standards. Because of that, it will need to be lifted and rebuilt before it can be used again, according to the county.
The closure forced residents to travel to other nearby tax offices, with many having to make the drive to Naples for routine services such as filing property taxes and registering vehicles.
Collier County officials say the new temporary tax collector’s office they have opened on east Elkam Circle will address the needs of the local community.
In a statement, the county says the office will serve the area temporarily until the original office on Winterberry Drive is rebuilt. Officials told Fox 4 this process is expected to take about two years.