Property owners in Benton and Franklin counties will get the chance to go paperless with property taxes.

The counties have joined doxo, an electronic filing cabinet program, to allow people to receive electronic property tax statements and pay them online.

Property tax statements mailed this week in both counties will include an insert with information about the new program.

People want the option to have a paperless property tax statement, said Duane Davidson, Benton County treasurer.

Taxpayers can sign up to have their statements sent to them electronically, said Josie Koelzer, Franklin County treasurer. They also can schedule to have their property tax bill paid electronically through the program.

The program is offered at no cost to taxpayers, Koelzer said. Doxo will charge the county for each document sent electronically, but the cost is less than postage and paper.

Paying online through doxo, which uses debit payments from the taxpayer's checking account, does not include a processing fee, unlike some other online payment options, Davidson said.

Credit cards cannot be used through doxo.

Next year, those who sign up for the program will get their statements electronically, Koelzer and Davidson said.

Koelzer said her office is trying to create more options for taxpayers. The program also allows people to store their property tax statements.

And it's a payment option for those who don't pay property taxes through their mortgage company, she said.

Davidson said the program will save the county money in postage, preparation and mailing costs, he said.

"It makes a lot more efficient way of processing taxes," he said.

Property taxes are due this year on April 30 and Oct. 31.

Information about Doxo will be posted online soon at for Franklin County at www.co.franklin.wa.us/treasurer and http://bit.ly/bentontreasurer for Benton County.

-- Kristi Pihl: 582-1512; kpihl@tricityherald.com