| State is ahead of the curve in processing tax returns
Q: Do you know if and when the checks will be coming out from [Rhode Island's statewide property-tax relief program]? We filed and mailed [the form] a long time back. As of today, we have not received it. I am wondering if it was sent out and went to the wrong place, or [if] they have not been sent out. –– V.P., North Providence A: There are no widespread delays in processing returns and issuing refunds or rebates this season, state tax officials said last week. In fact, the Rhode Island Division of Taxation is ahead of the curve so far this season compared with the same point last filing season. For example: -The state tax agency has received about 50,000 more returns than it did at this point last season, said state Tax Administrator David M. Sullivan.
Rebates nearly in the mail
CROWN POINT | Property tax rebate checks will blossom in Lake County mail boxes early next month, county officials said Monday.Lake County Auditor Peggy Holinga Katona said she expects to be sending out $28.1 million in rebate checks by early May."Within three weeks, checks will be in the mail," she said.She said the county will send out 133,380 checks.The rebate is a one-time, tax relief package the Indiana General Assembly enacted last year to offset property tax increases.State officials said last year the average rebate would be about $236.Katona said she expects rebates to average from 10 percent to 13 percent of the homestead's bill, which was paid late last year. The rebates will not go to those who failed to pay taxes last year or those already enjoying property tax caps.She said anyone who still owes property taxes will get a letter indicating their rebate was applied to the delinquency.The rebates also will be reduced for the nearly 30,000 homeowners -- primarily in Gary, Hammond, East Chicago, Whiting, Griffith, and Munster -- whose properties already are protected by the circuit breaker, which caps property taxes at 2 percent of gross assessed value of homes there.
Property tax relief commission visits Syracuse
That STAR rebate check we all look forward to in the Fall could be history after this year. Governor Paterson says we need real property tax relief and a check for a few hundred dollars after we've paid thousands is not real. Paterson said Thursday, "it's like you rob someone of 100 dollars and as they walk away, you give them five dollars and that's supposed to make them feel good. If New Yorkers really looked at their budgets and saw how much went to property taxes, more of them would get on the Thruway and leave New York State, and I don't want them to leave. I want them to stay." Paterson says a property tax commission he appointed is working on ways to give us real relief. That commmission was in Syracuse on Thursday for a hearing and heard from at least one assessment commissioner who would scrap the STAR exemption entirely. John gamage, the Assessment Commissioner for the City of Syracuse, told commission members the STAR exemption has become more trouble than its worth for his office and that, "we already had assessment clerks reviewing tax returns, a lot of tax returns for people, and going through income tax returns on a daily basis, so on and so forth. Then, we got the rebate program. That put us onto a whole other cycle.
Weiers, supporters urge governor to sign Arizona property tax repeal
PHOENIX - Permanently repealing a state property tax that could raise $250 million annually would provide relief for taxpayers dealing with the difficult economy, House Speaker Jim Weiers said Monday."We don't need another tax," said Weiers, a Republican from Phoenix. "We need to get this economy stimulated." Joined by business owners and private citizens, Weiers held a news conference on the State Capitol lawn urging Gov. Janet Napolitano to sign HB 2220, which he sponsored. It would eliminate the state equalization property tax, which was suspended in 2006 and is scheduled to return next year.The bill narrowly passed both houses and was headed to Napolitano's desk Monday. .
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