The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

Local News

January 10, 2013

Property taxes late; Penalities accruing

The Daily Southerner MIRANDA BAINES

TARBORO — Real estate and personal property taxes in Edgecombe County were due Monday and any not paid by that deadline will now have a 2 percent penalty added to the principal balance, said Tarasa Lewis, deputy tax collector for Edgecombe County. Beginning the first of February, the interest rate will increase at the rate of three-quarters of a percent each month thereafter.

“It accumulates at three-quarters of a percent the first day of each month thereafter,” Lewis said. The county’s tax rate is 86 cents per $100 valuation.

As of Monday at the close of the business day, 77.5 percent of county residents had paid their property taxes. County residents have a number of tax payment options — mailing a payment, dropping a payment in the box in front of the county administration building at 201 St. Andrew St. in Tarboro, paying by phone at 1-800-272-9829, or paying online by going to www.edgecombecountync.gov and clicking on online payments.

After paying their personal property taxes, Edgecombe County residents will need to turn their attention to motor vehicle taxes, as the process of paying those taxes is changing.

The North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles will begin billing for July tag renewals in March, and taxes on the vehicle must be paid at the same time as the tag renewal. Currently, owners have three months from the date of the tag renewal to pay the taxes.

“What we want to get through to our citizens is you need to make sure you pay your motor vehicle tax as soon as you get it,” said Gloria Lyndaker, the county’s tax collector director. “Whey they get ready to renew next year, they may be paying two years’ taxes if they don’t pay it on time.”

Renewal fees will remain the same annual cost. Lyndaker said North Carolina has been one of only two states in the United States where owners of motor vehicles did not pay their property taxes at the same time as renewing their tags.

“It’s going to be a big change,” she said.

The new combined registration fee and tax collection has become North Carolina’s new “tax and tag system,” in accordance with House Bill 1779, ratified by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2005.

 

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