Last Wednesday, I reported to you my misadventures with the Department of Revenue and how they sent me something looking like junk mail to apparently trick me. The letter was designed to look that way so I would have thrown it away and not paid the taxes I owe on $25 I made freelancing last year and, instead, owe the City $5,000.
Philly Tax Amnesty is a program running through June 25th, coinciding with a tax amnesty program running state-wide. It allows people who owe the City money to pay up without little penalty.
The trouble is they sent me this sneaky and quasi-threatening letter stating that if I did not pay up in time, I'd be fined five grand. Rarely the scofflaw and with extra fear that I wear a target on my back since I've been speaking out boisterously about this matter, I went to the City's website yesterday to pay the piper.
The woman who I spoke with that I mentioned in the previous article said all I had to do was go to http://www.philly.gov and find the Department of Revenue and register there.
First of all, that site is confusing as hell - even for an Internet savvy guy like me. One should take their time registering as a regular person with the City, one false move and you'll register as a business and owe Philly $300. It took me about 15 minutes to figure out what to do right. The "Help" selection during registration was pointless, a simple Google Search helped me fair better. Good luck trying to get any help by calling 311 or any other City provided number: you'll never get through to anyone and be on hold for half an hour.
I registered my social security number and was e-mailed a personal PIN number. Great. Now time to pay the stupid taxes on $25.00 worth of extra work. They have a calculator there (if you can find it) that tells you what percentage to pay.
What's that?
I owe the City 92 cents?
They sent me a letter threatening to poop in my Cheerios over 92 cents?
92 CENTS?!
Where is GOB from "Arrested Development" when you need him?
COME ON!
This is unbelievable. I'm pretty sure Pennsylvania even says that, if you them less than $1.00, to forget about the whole ordeal.
Most people suggest I should go down to the Department of Revenue (if it's as difficult to find them as it is to navigate their website, God help me) and pay them in pennies. Not only have people suggested I pay them in pennies but that I shouldn't even have the common courtesy to give them a jar.
I have a better solution. How about I give 92 cents to the next crack addict I see with a baby waiting for the El? I'll take a picture and write the City a letter stating "it was going to go to her anyway".
If there's ever been a more apparent reason we need some kind of opposition party, an opposition party with GUTS in this City, please send that reason my way. I am very sure I'm not the only person dealing with this mess. I hope the people who run this town realize that all of this will backfire on them when people move away and this City is in financial shambles due to their draconian rule over its citizens.
Let's go Flyers,
- AP
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