News

The council passed an ordinance Monday night authorizing an agreement with the city of Cleveland for services relating to the collection of income tax.

 

This ordinance allows Athens to conduct an amnesty program to get uncollected revenues that are owed to the city.

 

Councilmember Christine Knisely (D-At Large) says many people are simply not aware that they owe the city money.

 

"We'll have a one month reprieve program for people who may be delinquent in income taxes and not even know it. They might be working out of a computer in their basement and aren't aware that they have to pay the city," said Knisely.

 

In addition to locating delinquent taxpayers and getting them onto the city tax rolls, the program will also locate businesses that are filing federally but not with the city.

 

Knisely says they are contracting with the Cleveland company because they have security access to the database records for people's federal income tax returns.

 

Otherwise, the city would perform the service on their own.

 

The company will charge an administrative fee of up to five percent of the delinquent taxes that they locate.

 

This plan is set to begin on July 1 after the one month reprieve begins in June.