A new year, a new tax bill.

The 2010 first-half year real estate taxes will be mailed out today to Lawrence County property owners, Lawrence County Treasurer Stephen Dale Burcham said Thursday.

Burcham told the Lawrence County Commission the tax bills were supposed to have gone out sooner but there was a problem with the software and a delay in getting tax rates from two other counties in the joint vocational school district.

The last day to pay first-half taxes is Feb. 26.

Dog owners will have a little more time to purchase their dog tags.

The commission Thursday agreed to extend the deadline for purchasing a dog tag to the end of February.

State law requires counties to sell tags between Dec. 1 and Jan 31 but allows counties to extend the deadline extension if necessary.

“This year we were late getting the notices out and we have had bad weather,” Dog Warden Bill Click explained.

Click said right now tag sales are running slightly ahead of last year.

Thus far 3,565 tags have been sold. Each dog tag costs $12. Dogs that have been spayed or neutered get a $2 discount.

Kennel licenses are $60 and must be purchased at the Lawrence County Auditor’s Office.

Dog tags may be purchased at the dog pound, the auditor’s office, Dickess’ Market in Aid, Moore’s Hardware in Proctorville, the Chesapeake Veterinary Clinic and Petland in South Point.