Localities Get Tough on Tax Bills: New program deducts delinquent bills from state tax refunds

From Donna Martinez, a contributing editor of Carolina Journal:

RALEIGH — Local budgets around the state are nearly $7.9 million fatter this year than anticipated, thanks to a state program that deducts from state tax refunds the past-due bills owed by residents to cities and counties. Nearly 46,000 people have been forced to pay off 55,882 debts over the last six months when the Department of Revenue matched their Social Security numbers to bills owed to nearly 200 local governments.