The Tax Man Cometh
Thursday, 20. November 2008, 03:38:46
One of the funniest things I read today is about the least funniest thing of all ...TAXES!
It seems that the City of ATTLEBORO, Mass. population 42,068 is extremely hard up for cash.
A few days ago a 74-year-old blind woman was shocked when her daughter found a letter from the city of Attleboro saying a lien would be placed on her home unless she paid an overdue water bill.
The amount? 1 cent.
City Collector Debora Marcoccio says the letter was among 2,000 sent out. She says a computer automatically prints letters for accounts with an overdue balance, and they are not reviewed by staff before being mailed.
The letter warned of a lien and a $48 penalty if the overdue bill is not paid by Dec. 10.
Here's where I start to laugh big time. A stamp alone is 42 cents, the cost of the envelope, the person sending the mail's time and lets not forget the dumb prgrammer who didn't have enough sense to put in a cut-off value; and this bill has cost more to create than it will collect. To add insult to injury, the publicity raised isn't the good kind so ...was it worth it for one/one hundreth of a dollar, one lousy cent?
As usual blame the computer, the one thing that won't talk back and say "you're the idiot that programmed me"
It seems that the City of ATTLEBORO, Mass. population 42,068 is extremely hard up for cash.
A few days ago a 74-year-old blind woman was shocked when her daughter found a letter from the city of Attleboro saying a lien would be placed on her home unless she paid an overdue water bill.
The amount? 1 cent.
City Collector Debora Marcoccio says the letter was among 2,000 sent out. She says a computer automatically prints letters for accounts with an overdue balance, and they are not reviewed by staff before being mailed.
The letter warned of a lien and a $48 penalty if the overdue bill is not paid by Dec. 10.
Here's where I start to laugh big time. A stamp alone is 42 cents, the cost of the envelope, the person sending the mail's time and lets not forget the dumb prgrammer who didn't have enough sense to put in a cut-off value; and this bill has cost more to create than it will collect. To add insult to injury, the publicity raised isn't the good kind so ...was it worth it for one/one hundreth of a dollar, one lousy cent?
As usual blame the computer, the one thing that won't talk back and say "you're the idiot that programmed me"
WIDGETIZE
Karen # 20. November 2008, 07:46