Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, May 6, 1993                   TAG: 9305060157
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: PULASKI                                LENGTH: Short

PULASKI IMPOSES LATE-TAX PENALTY

The idea is to encourage taxpayers to submit payments before the due date for taxes, and help pay the cost of collecting overdue taxes.

Before Pulaski Town Council amended the town tax code Tuesday, penalties simply amounted to 10 percent of the unpaid tax.

It would have been $1.10 for unpaid taxes amounting to $10.50, for example, or $7.50 on an unpaid $75 tax bill. The unpaid tax had to amount to $100 to require a $10 penalty.

Now the $10 penalty is in force for any unpaid tax up to $100. For unpaid taxes totaling more than $100, the penalty remains 10 percent of the unpaid tax.

Council's Ordinance Committee had recommended the measure. It was decided that a 10 percent penalty on unpaid taxes of less than $100 did not provide enough incentive to get the taxes paid. It also did not cover collection costs.