BRATTLEBORO — I feel compelled to air a pet peeve that I have had for years.
Every year I get a property tax statement that contains four tear-off tabs that I am to mail in to the town with a check for quarterly payment of my property taxes.
I am almost 66 years old - I forget to mail in the stubs or I lose them. The town sends me no notification that tax payments are due. In fact, the only notification I get from the town is a delinquent notice (after the fact) that applies interest and a huge penalty fee up to four times a year!
I've asked Town Treasurer/Finance Director John O'Connor: How much revenue is generated from these penalty and interest charges? What portion of those being charged these fees are seniors? Are these delinquent notices being sent to credit agencies?
I would hope (for seniors anyway) that a bill might precede delinquency notification and the assessment of penalty, interest charges, and the transmission of delinquency info sent to credit valuation agencies.