Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

N.C. delays income tax refunds
News & Observer [Raleigh] ^ | Fri, Mar. 06, 2009 | Mark Johnson

Posted on 03/06/2009 9:13:15 AM PST by Mike Fieschko

North Carolina has delayed sending out state income tax refund checks so state officials can juggle the cashflow needed to give taxpayers back their money.

Secretary of Revenue Ken Lay described the problem as a temporary backlog, because the department is having to tap special accounts to pay refunds, he said.

"Everyone who is due a refund will get a refund," Lay said in a prepared statement, saying he expects progress in the coming weeks.

The disclosure of the refund logjam this week has angered some taxpayers who called the Revenue Department in recent weeks and were told that there were no delays, that checks were taking several weeks to process.

"Don't lie, and that's what I felt like they’ve done," said James Stephenson, who works for a specialty contractor in North Charlotte and was told in two recent phone calls that refunds were now taking four to six weeks. "You call into the state and they tell you one thing and then their boss says, 'We have the money, we’re just slow paying it out.'"

North Carolina is facing its worst budget crisis in decades, and revenues, the money that pays for government's day-to-day operations, are running nearly $300 million behind last year's figures.

Lawmakers are attempting to patch a $2 billion hole in the current budget that ends June 30 and an even larger gap expected in the spending plan they have to write for next year.

Gov. Beverly Perdue last week siphoned $300 million from special funds, such as money for school textbooks and clean water management, to make sure the state has enough money to pay the bills. She is also contemplating using lottery money to steady the state’s finances.

Stephenson, who lives in Ft. Mill, S.C., but pays N.C. tax because of his job, has filed electronically for nearly a decade and the refund has been deposited in his account in less than two weeks. He filed on Feb. 7 and still doesn’t have his money. It's not pinching his own finances, but he knows others don’t have as much financial cushion.

"With the economy," Stephenson said, "there are people trying to get their refund to pay bills and keep their head above water."



TOPICS: Government; US: North Carolina
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last
Lay said in a prepared statement

IOW, not in front of anyone who could ask questions.
1 posted on 03/06/2009 9:13:15 AM PST by Mike Fieschko
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Mike Fieschko

BTTT


2 posted on 03/06/2009 9:14:34 AM PST by Jet Jaguar (Atlas Shrugged Mode: ON)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MitchellC

ping


3 posted on 03/06/2009 9:15:20 AM PST by abb ("What ISN'T in the news is often more important than what IS." Ed Biersmith, 1942 -)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Mike Fieschko
Secretary of Revenue Ken Lay

Somewhere, a certain former ENRON CEO is chuckling at the irony...
4 posted on 03/06/2009 9:17:12 AM PST by mkjessup (You're either with our Constitution, or you are with TKU ("The Kenyan Usurper"). CHOOSE!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mike Fieschko
using your money interest free all year...now a delay...i am sure they will pay all interest right? but if you owe at the end of the year and say i am going to delay payment so i can jubble things i am sure you will pay interest and peneltys to them......
5 posted on 03/06/2009 9:18:58 AM PST by tatsinfla
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mike Fieschko
I hope the taxpayers of NC change their withholding so that they are not continuing to give the state an interest free loan.
6 posted on 03/06/2009 9:19:49 AM PST by muggs (If Obama is the answer, it must have been a stupid question)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mike Fieschko

Meanwhile,welfare bums will not do without. Suck it up taxpayers and hand it over!!


7 posted on 03/06/2009 9:22:38 AM PST by 4yearlurker (The ground at Arlington is moving & shaking.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mike Fieschko

You people kill me.

What do you want - accountability? Responsibility? Redress of grievances?

These are IMPORTANT state workers and they must be left alone to do their very IMPORTANT jobs. Voters and taxpayers are mere annoyances and do not deserve a fair shake.


8 posted on 03/06/2009 9:22:46 AM PST by relictele
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: relictele

LOL . . .well played.


9 posted on 03/06/2009 9:30:13 AM PST by A_Former_Democrat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Mike Fieschko

I’m self employed, I don’t get refunds - I just make quarterly payments to NC.


10 posted on 03/06/2009 9:30:54 AM PST by PeteB570 (NRA - Life member and Black Rifle owner)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mike Fieschko

How about delaying the paychecks for the legislators?

I’m sick of governments that take care of themselves first, while they dump on ordinary people.


11 posted on 03/06/2009 9:32:28 AM PST by Leftism is Mentally Deranged (liberalism is a progressive, degenerative disease of the mind.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kalee

glad that’s no longer my state.


12 posted on 03/06/2009 9:38:24 AM PST by Cailleach
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mike Fieschko

California is in the same boat, times ten


13 posted on 03/06/2009 9:38:54 AM PST by GeronL (Will bankrupting America lead to socialism?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mkjessup

bring out your dead...


14 posted on 03/06/2009 9:40:40 AM PST by George Smiley (They're not drinking the Kool-Aid any more. They're eating it straight out of the packet.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Constitution Day

WTFIIWNC?


15 posted on 03/06/2009 9:45:26 AM PST by Tijeras_Slim
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: muggs
I hope the taxpayers of NC change their withholding so that they are not continuing to give the state an interest free loan.

CA and KS as well. Oh, and don't forget FedGov.

16 posted on 03/06/2009 9:48:50 AM PST by gieriscm (07 FFL / 02 SOT - www.extremefirepower.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Mike Fieschko
I wonder how soon they will be issuing sctip like this, from the last Depression.


17 posted on 03/06/2009 9:49:15 AM PST by Oatka ("A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves." –Bertrand de Jouvenel)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tijeras_Slim

Kenneth Lay?

Am I the only one who finds it disturbing that North Carolina’s Secretary of Revenue shares a name with the not-so-dearly departed head crook at Enron?


18 posted on 03/06/2009 9:49:17 AM PST by Constitution Day
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Oatka

“sctip” = “scrip” - damn!


19 posted on 03/06/2009 9:50:23 AM PST by Oatka ("A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves." –Bertrand de Jouvenel)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Constitution Day

Witless Protection Program.


20 posted on 03/06/2009 9:50:33 AM PST by Tijeras_Slim
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson