by Amanda Harnocz
Reporter
Tallmadge -- A total of $46,400 is owed to the city in delinquent income taxes from over the past few years, and the city is working to collect those funds.
"The vast majority of our citizens take responsibility for filing and paying their city income tax seriously," according to Finance Director Jill Stritch. "It is unfortunate that there are others who are delinquent in paying their taxes or have not filed."
Tallmadge stepped up its efforts to collect the delinquent taxes by hiring an outside company, JP Recovery Services, to help collect the taxes owed, said Stritch.
"We have sent out letters to those taxpayers who are late and have given them 30 days to make payment, or the city will take them to the collection agency," she said.
If the money is not received, JP Recovery Services will take over in about two weeks.
The outside company will receive a contingency fee of up to 24 percent of the funds brought in, which won't exceed approximately $10,000, if all of the delinquent taxes are received by the collection agency.
All legal action necessary to collect the delinquent taxes will be handled by Law Director Penny Taylor, according to Stritch.
The $46,400 owed represents less than 1 percent of the $8.2 million the city anticipates to bring in from income tax revenue in 2008. The city collected $4.25 million this year by the end of June, she said.
"Every dollar amount of income tax owed is important because the income tax revenue is the major revenue item supporting 65 percent of the general fund, which pays for the governmental functions, including police, recreation, administration, building, zoning, garage, boards and commissions, subsidized street programs, debt payments and other capital improvements," Stritch said.
New this year, the city has a link on its Web site to pay their city income tax. Those interested can go to www.tallmadge-ohio.org and click on the income tax link and pay either their income tax payment or a utility payment with a credit card.
Additionally, the tax office, located at City Hall, 46 North Ave., is open Mondays through Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and can be reached by calling 330-633-5599.
E-mail: aharnocz@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-686-3911