EAST LIVERPOOL – During the East Liverpool City Council Finance Committee meeting held on Tuesday afternoon, Tax Commissioner and Deputy Director Sharon Williams made a presentation that she believes updating the tax office with electronic filing software and signing up with RITA There is a better and less expensive option instead of doing. Regional Income Tax Agency).
City council members had previously discussed and drafted an ordinance to sign with RITA and allow the agency to file and collect the city’s income tax and undercut the city’s tax officer, but put that matter forward. was kept pending for discussion and research. Some council members wanted to postpone the decision until the first of the year when the city’s administration changed hands.
Williams noted that the city collected $270,644 more in taxes than the previous year due to notices being sent out every day and people bringing in past tax returns. This is an increase of about 9 percent. Williams said most people who apply to collect back taxes are requesting a payment plan, but the money is now coming in.
Williams said his office has begun a study of rental inventory that had not been done before and that has revealed many hidden people in the city who have not filed taxes. He has got more than four people in one property.
“Now we’re going to bring the tax office into the 21st century with new programs,” he said.
Williams is looking into acquiring software for eFile and ePay that will allow residents to file and pay city taxes electronically by simply entering information from their W2 forms. The software will do all the calculations for them.
Williams said agencies like RITA require taxpayers to pay the first quarter of the following years’ taxes along with the next year’s estimated taxes. East Liverpool don’t need it.
The software will allow document upload and electronic signature.
Taxpayers have the option of setting up automatic payment deductions and payments from their bank accounts, if they so desire. Williams said that several people have asked him about automatic payments, which he is not currently prepared for.
A one-time payment of $19,470 will be required to purchase and install the software.
“It’s a one-time deal, whereas you want to pay Rita $92,000 a year,” Williams said.
According to Williams, the annual maintenance fee, which includes all upgrades and technical support, is $8,400 per year and is already $8,200 in the budget.
Council member Fred Rail told Williams he believes RITA has access to all federal and state tax returns and can find out if there are people in the area who don’t pay city taxes. are doing. Williams replied that the city tax department has access to the state list and the Ohio Taxation Department sends them a list of everyone filing state taxes in that zip code. He also has the list of tenants, voter registration list and water department list and can access and cross reference everything on the computer.
Rails asked how many years the software would work, and Williams said they could cancel whenever they wanted, as long as they paid an annual maintenance fee. The system can be set up in a few days and tax office staff can take a week or two to learn it and have it ready before tax season.
Williams said he talked to other municipalities that were considering going with RITA and chose against it.
He also noted that he talked to people who use the e-file system and was told they were really pleased with it and that the first year was slow because many residents were not aware of it.
Rail said that they will talk to the finance committee and involve the auditor as well and they will probably have a reply by the next finance meeting.
Reil told Williams, “Personally, I think you guys are doing a good job and I don’t have a problem with that.”
Williams will make a presentation again before the Economic Committee on Thursday at 5 p.m. Rita has also been invited to give a presentation at the same meeting.
Williams will also be at the September 5 council meeting.
Following Williams’ presentation, the Finance Committee discussed and voted to submit several ordinances to the Council for a vote.
There were two pieces of legislation from the office of Planning Director William Cowan.
As First Edge Hair Studio is requesting a Community Reinvestment Agreement (CRA) with Jessica Ludwig DBA.
Cowan said Ludwig was renovating a building for a saloon and applied for tax relief for 15 years for the work she was doing to renovate the building for her business.
The next person would authorize Cowan on behalf of the city to enter into an agreement with Environmental Design Group for professional services for the bike trail, for which the city had received a grant.
The committee voted to send both pieces to council for approval.
Other legislation approved to go before the council included authorizing auditors to make payments to vendors providing goods and services to the city, creating a new line item fund for fire department ARPA grants, amending the budget ordinance, and appropriating Includes adjustment and new construction. Line for the Riverfront Trail Project
East Liverpool Council, which normally meets on the first Monday of every month at 6pm in the Council Chambers of City Hall, will meet on Tuesday, 5 September due to the Labor Day holiday.
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