Woman Arrested For $1.16 In Unpaid Taxes

[matcom]

<snip>

LOVELAND, Ohio -- An Ohio woman was arrested after she didn't pay just more than $1 that she owed in income taxes, WLWT-TV in Cincinnati reported.

Deborah Combs owed the city of Loveland $1.16 last year, but she also hadn't filed her city income tax forms in five years, the television station said.

She said officers pulled her over and acted as though she were a violent criminal.

"One sheriff approached my car with his hand on his gun," she said. "Another from the other side of the car leaned in and said, 'Are you Deborah Combs?' He said, 'We have a warrant for your arrest.' I was absolutely shocked."

Combs said she thinks the arrest and charges are over-the-top for the amount she owed.

"What they've spent in stamps is more than what I owe," she said.

She could also end up paying hundreds of dollars in fines for the unfiled tax forms, the television station reported.

Loveland City Manager Fred Enderle said the amount Combs owes isn't the real issue.

"Whether it's $1 they owe us or $1,000, it's not fair to the rest of the public to not pursue that person," he said. "There is some expense involved, but it goes back to the principle. We have laws. The laws have to be complied with. At what cost do you stop enforcing the law?"

Combs is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 20.

http://www.wftv.com/money/5093711/detail.html

[SouthernDem2004]

1. Um, What are city income tax forms?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

2. Municipalities in Ohio have income taxes

Usually 1-2% of your paycheck. But they have reciprocity, meaning that if you work in one town and live in another, the town where you work collects the tax and the town where you live gives you credit. It's likely that she was being credited by another municipality, but for whatever reason, the collecting city didn't fully collect her tax.

The simple fact is that the City of Loveland is going to spend a thousand dollars in order to collect one dollar. The City Manager should have his wages garnished for being that colossally stupid.

[SouthernDem2004]

5. The article said she had not filed in 5 years. Is that a big deal like if

you did not file with the Feds?

First I have heard of city income tax forms. Guess I need to get out more. :)

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

7. The answer to every tax question...

"It Depends"

Some municipalities have no automatic filing requirement (The City of Cincinnati says basically that if your employer properly withheld your taxes, you don't have to file). Others require you to file even if you owed nothing. It could be an honest mistake on this person's part -- thinking that she wasn't required to file a return when the city required it.

[Bassic]

6. You know this is exactly the kind of thing that makes me really hate

red tape bullshit.

My girlfriend just had to pay 915$ (Canadian) to the Government of Ontario for an "administrative error". Think we'll ever see that money again? x(

[Left_Winger]

3. Once again, the lower end of the income scale gets screwed

and the rich get away with whatever they please.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

8. LOL!

You've never been to Loveland, have you? It's the Motherland of McMansions and soccer moms driving SUV's bigger than your house.

[Left_Winger]

9. Nope, never have

I was just making an assumption about the way things work in republicanland.

On edit: I'm just a hick from SC, lol.

[Heidi]

4. What a splendid use of public resources: arresting someone

who owes the city $1.16. :sarcasm: