Good day, and welcome to the Fairfax County News to Use podcast of Sept. 23, 2008. Coming up, learn about watershed cleanup day and voter registration. Links to topics mentioned in this podcast can be found online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news.
Residents are reminded that 2008 personal property taxes must be paid by Oct. 5. Residents can take advantage of several payment options by mail, telephone, computer or kiosks throughout the county to avoid last-minute lines. Since Oct. 5 is a Sunday, payments received or postmarked on Monday, Oct. 6, will be credited as on time.
There is a 10 percent penalty plus interest for late personal property tax payments, and late payments are subject to multiple collection actions and additional fees. Personal property includes automobiles, trucks, motor homes, motorcycles, trailers, campers, boats, outboard motors, planes and business property.
In addition to registering with the Department of Motor Vehicles, automobiles purchased or moved into the county must be registered within 60 days of the purchase or move-in date. Residents of the towns (corporate limits only) of Clifton and Herndon are required to purchase town decals.
Tax payments can be made:
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On the Internet – Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dta and pay by check or credit
card (VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Discover).
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At banks – Pay by check or cash (not credit card) at local
branches of Bank of America, Sun Trust and Wachovia in Fairfax
County. These payments must be made on or before the due date of
Oct. 5. Residents must bring their bill and pay the exact amount
billed.
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By phone – For VISA, MasterCard and American Express, call
703-222-6740, TTY 711. If using Discover, call 703-222-8234, TTY
703-222-7594, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday.
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By mail – Send checks only (no cash) payable to the Fairfax
County Department of Tax Administration, 12000 Government Center
Parkway, Suite 223, Fairfax, VA 22035.
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At the county’s electronic kiosks – For a list of locations
visit the Web site at cris.fairfaxcounty.gov.
- In person – Pay by check, cash or credit card (VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Discover) at the Fairfax County Government Center, Department of Tax Administration, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 223, Fairfax. Regular office hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. DTA cashier counters will be open to the public on extended hours until 6 p.m., Sept. 29-Oct. 3 and Oct. 6, and on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 8 a.m. to noon.
For more information call 703-222-8234, TTY 703-222-7594 or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dta.
When Captain John Smith first floated up the Potomac River in 1607, oysters were so numerous that they lay “as thick as stones” and there was more sturgeon “than could be devoured by man or dog”. Although we may never see the same river as Captain Smith, we all play a part to keep our water as clean as possible. Since all the land in Fairfax County drains to the Potomac River, and eventually the Chesapeake Bay, all the oil, dirt, grease and trash that wash off streets and parking lots when it rains threatens the quality of our water and the wildlife that depend on it.
Fairfax County is sponsoring a series of workshops for residents who want to improve the health of our streams. The Stormwater Planning Division invites members of your community to one of four Introductory and Issues Scoping Forums around the county. The forum is free, open to the public and no prior knowledge about streams or watersheds is necessary. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/watersheds or call 703-324-5500, TTY 711 to find out more.
Can’t make it to the forum? No problem! The watersheds Web site will have a virtual forum option where community comments and concerns can be recorded and sent to the county.
That’s all for this News to Use podcast. Thanks for listening. For more information about the topics in this podcast and for continuous news updates, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news. You may also call 703-FAIRFAX, that’s 703-324-7329, weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. News to Use is produced by the Fairfax County, Virginia, government.