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Tardy taxpayers get 'boot'
'Smartboot' tracks down delinquent taxpayers in FredericksburgDate published: 10/29/2008 BY SUSANNAH CLARK There are sounds reminiscent of a video game coming from Tod Runyon's dashboard, as the white boxes on the top of his old unmarked police car scan the license plates of cars in Fredericksburg. The beeps and blasts tell Runyon that the scanner has spotted the vehicle of a delinquent taxpayer. He is quick to "boot" it. Runyon is operating the newly installed "Smartboot," a license plate recognition system used to find delinquent taxpayers in public and residential areas. While the "Smartboot" system is used in many areas for parking enforcement, the city treasurer's office is the first locality to use the system to collect unpaid personal property taxes. "Smartboot" will also be used in Fredericksburg to catch scofflaws with three or more unpaid parking tickets. Since its trial run from June to mid-October, "Smartboot" has booted 280 cars and collected more than $60,000 of tax money. By comparison, the treasurer's office collected $14,600 last year. According to G.M. Haney, Fredericksburg's treasurer, about 1 percent of personal property and real estate taxes remain unpaid every year. Haney said that the "Smartboot" system was installed not to punish, but to promote adherence. "We're looking for compliance, not money," Haney said. "If delinquents don't pay, then good taxpayers have to pay more." Haney said booting cars is a last resort. People whose cars get booted owe at least $75 in unpaid taxes and have been warned by mail or phone three or four times. The City Council approved $45,000 in extra funding for "Smartboot" on Oct. 14. Haney projects that "Smartboot" will bring in at least $85,000 in collections by the end of the year. The "Smartboot" system was created by PayLock, a parking enforcement company based in New Jersey. PayLock provides similar booting and license plate recognition systems in 11 counties nationwide, including Richmond and Prince George's County, Md. Bart Blair, director of account management for PayLock, said that even though "Smartboot" is operated through the treasurer's office, the police department will appreciate the efforts to collect fines on scofflaws. "The collection rate will go up and people will take tickets more seriously," Blair said. "Police officers will feel less like they're throwing away paper."
Date published: 10/29/2008
Hmm
(posted by
RichOnTheRoad
, Oct. 30, 2008 2:04 am)
While I appreciate the need to collect taxes I wonder how
fair this system is. If it's like city sticker enforcement it can
only be done on public roads. Therefore someone who
parks on private property like their driveway won't get
booted. People who don't own cars or don't have them
registered in their name won't get booted. Seems an
unequal enforcement method to me.
tax evaders take note
(posted by
larryg
, Oct. 29, 2008 6:35 pm)
Spotsylvania is much more civilized about this.
They're working with the Federal Government to have said
back taxes automatically deducted from any tax refunds.
and if you think the government is getting out of hand...
take note... that private groups can also be authorized to
use license plate scanners to catch other kinds of
deadbeats who don't pay their bills...
Pretty soon.. if you are a scofflaw... they're gonna nail your
butt as soon as you back out of your driveway....
;-)
Not a fan
(posted by
southwest
, Oct. 29, 2008 3:04 pm)
John1315 you state that yu are not a fan of seizing peoples property. Well John 1315 I'm not a fan of people who fail to pay their taxes. These are the same people that don't want to pay their taxes, yet they still want the City to continue to provide them services. I hope the City gets each and every person who fails to pay their taxes and I don't care how they do it. I'm retired and find the money to pay my taxes for the betterment of all. I hope the City gets all of the tax evading bumbs.
john
(posted by
sahmom
, Oct. 29, 2008 2:15 pm)
If your plan worked great....you act like these tax evaders would come willingly to court and hand over their checks. What a laugh. They're robbing you, me, our neighbors etc...I say take everything from them, til they pay. It's people like them that make everything so expensive and they're the people putting Obama in office because they don't care if he raises taxes!
?
(posted by
DMClark
, Oct. 29, 2008 2:05 pm)
Do they put a bumper stick on the car that says "I'm Joe the Plumber" when they do it as well?
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