Theses numbers come as no surprise!

READ THIS U BET THEY WILL GET THEIR AND MORE



Cumberland County left more than $3 million on the table last year because of the state's lax system of collecting motor vehicle taxes.

That's about what the county and its municipalities spend on parks and recreation programs in a year.

In North Carolina, officials wait three or four months after motorists register their wheels - or renew a registration - to send out annual property tax bills for the vehicles.

In Cumberland County, where many military personnel register personal vehicles, the lag time can be a problem.

"In that time period, it's not all that unusual for them, the military folks, to be sent to another base, maybe be called to active duty, transferred somewhere else," said Aaron Donaldson, the county's tax administrator. "That makes it very difficult to keep track of current addresses and how to get hold of those people to collect.

In Cumberland County,$3.2 million went uncollected in 2008, according to the State Treasurer's Office. The county's collection rate has been declining since 2006.

Donaldson and other county officials across the state had an idea to improve collections: Tack the tax onto the registration fee that appears on renewal notices.

It has been four years since the General Assembly took county officials up on their suggestion. And it will be another two years before combined registration and tax bills start going out.

What's taken North Carolina so long to become one of the last states with a vehicle tax to get the registration and tax billing cycles in sync?

Even though legislators unanimously enacted the change in 2005, they have tinkered with the law several times since, officials said.

The original deadline for starting the combined collection was July 1. But that deadline has been extended to July 1, 2011.

Before the law becomes effective, some legislators have tried to repeal it, said Todd McGee, communications director for the N.C. Association of County Commissioners.

The repeal efforts have been unsuccessful so far.

Lawmakers have been encouraged by lobbyists for new car dealers to delay or even scuttle dual collection.

The dealers don't want to have to add the property tax to the sales tax and fees they already charge customers to drive a new vehicle off their lots.

"That has probably contributed to the delay a little bit," said McGee.

Robert Glaser, president of the N.C. Automobile Dealers Association, couldn't be reached to elaborate on his group's objections to the new method of tax collection.

The General Assembly neglected to appropriate money to begin implementing the change after signing off on the legislation in 2008.

So last year was lost, according to Thomas Beam, a spokesman for the state Department of Revenue.

Revenue officials, the state Division of Motor Vehicles and county assessors finally got some money over the summer to begin integrating their computers.

"You renew your tag, you pay your property taxes. You don't pay property taxes, you can't renew your tag," said Donaldson. "Obviously, that'll make our jobs easier."

Counties can go back 10 years to dun delinquent vehicle taxpayers, Donaldson said, and his staff pursues the scofflaws

Fayetteville n.c. officials wait 4 1/2 hs before issuing a amber alert. Man is shooting his wife and 2 children while wife is on the phone with 911. 2 hrs later police decide to look and you got it ... find 4 bodies. Police are called about a large quality of cocaine that is found in their yard and told the drug dealer is making threats if he does get his drugs back. Over 2 hours later the drug dealer is still demanding his drugs and still no police. when called back the 911 operator ask if we still wanted an officer to respond. After another hour and the drug dealer making signs of shooting people we left the area for fear of being shot. When called for the 3rd time the 911 operator ask us to wait again. The police operator was told to kiss my ass. Get rid of these dumb idiots and let 6 year olds handle calls. All this can be checked by police looking up phone numbers of the 911 calls. Carry guns in Fayettnam as there is little police help. Maybe the 911 operators are not letting the officers know people are begging for help.Now talk about my spelling retards.

Please leave your comment on poor city servivees including police.

spell check Da! sorry