HCC approves plan to collect overdue taxes

GAINESVILLE - If you owe Hall County back taxes, you'll get a chance next mont to pay-up, without paying penalties and interest.

County Commissioner Ashley Bell proposed the tax collection plan a few weeks ago as a way to bring in badly-needed revenue and it was approved by the county commission Thursday night.

From Aug. 1 to 31, people who owe county taxes from 2009 and previous years, and can show reasonable cause for their late payment, will be forgiven all late penalties and accrued interest.

"This is a way to help out our struggling taxpayers while bringing in badly-needed revenue for Hall County. It's a win-win for everyone," Bell said. There is more than $3.2 million in outstanding taxes on the books going back to the 1980s. The waiver applies to 2009 and previous years.

Added Tax Commissioner Keith Echols: "I hope that Hall County taxpayers will take advantage of this one-time opportunity to pay their overdue bills."

Applications for the waiver will be available Aug. 1-31 online at tax.hallcounty.org or at the Tax Commissioner's Office in the Joint Administration Building. After the applications are processed by Tax Commissioner Keith Echols, the Board of Commissioners will consider approval of each application at its regular meeting at 6:00 Oct. 13.

Asked Friday morning what constitutes "reasonable cause," county spokeswoman Nikki Young said delinquent taxpayers "must be able to show that late payments are not due to gross or willful neglect or disregard of the law..."