Two El Paso County Tax Offices to temporarily close starting next month

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- El Paso County Tax Assessor-Collector Ruben P. Gonzalez announced the Westside and Fort Bliss El Paso County Tax Offices will be temporarily closed starting March 1.

In a statement, Gonzalez said the closures were due to an increased workload and training requirements brought on by House Bill 718, which requires dealerships to report car title transfers to the County Tax Office. The bill seeks to crack down on potential fraud in temporary paper permits and dealer tags.

"Please accept my sincerest apologies for any inconveniences that are created due to my
decision," Gonzalez said in the statement. "I trust that you understand my predicament."

Gonzalez did not provide a timeframe for how long the closures must last, but did note the title transfers must be sent in by July 1.