Editor: I find Make Harvey’s letter (The Times, Aug. 11) to be somewhat inaccurate.
The Township did send out a letter to those who make equal payments to prepay their taxes, informing them that the current program, which was to make 11 (not 12) withdrawals during the year, was ending. It was being replaced later this year with a 10 equal payment program.
I, too, found the letter confusing and phoned the municipal hall.
They explained that with the new program coming in, the current program was being cancelled after the ninth withdrawal, and that I had until July 1 to make up the missing two payments. Apparently it has to do with showing the amount prepaid on the tax bill.
As the notices are prepared long before the tax payment deadline, they were switching to a 10-month plan so that the prepaid tax amount would be correct on the tax notice.
Then I had to fill in their form to enroll in the new plan. This had nothing to do with the Home Owner Grant application which is on the tax notice. It has to be completed in order to get the grant, as has been the case for years.
I have no problem with the Township wanting to change their system. I do have a problem with them making the change in the middle of the year, for their convenience, leaving those in the program hung out to dry.
Why couldn’t the Township change the plan as of July 1, instead of making it inconvenient and confusing for those affected taxpayers?
R.B. Long,
Langley
