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Henrico residents can now report neighbors’ tax violations online

Posted at 6:24 PM, Aug 15, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-15 18:24:04-04

 HENRICO COUNTY, Va. - Henrico County officials recently launched an updated section to the county website that now allows residents to report potential tax violations by their neighbors online, anonymously.

For instance, if a car with out of state tags has been sitting in a neighbor's yard for a long time, residents can report the situation directly to the county through the site.

Officials said residents have been able to file various online complaints for awhile. However, the vehicle violation feature is new, and the county consolidated violation reporting information from several departments into one web address to make it more "user-friendly."

Residents can upload a picture of the potential violation so that officials can review it.

The updates have been active for "several weeks" according to officials, who called it a "soft launch" intended to track down potential bugs in the system.

Eugene Walter, Henrico Director of Finance, said the website streamlined the process for residents and county officials.

Walter said they do not expect to bring in increased tax revenue because of higher reporting, and that the goal was to increase transparency in the complaint process.  Residents can report suspected business license, meals tax, or vehicle license violations through the updated site.

Henrico mother Amanda Sheldon said she likes the idea of being able to report tax violations online.

"I would definitely say that I've been delayed at times, but I've definitely seen some in my neighborhood," she said.

Henrico resident Barbara Burstein is not sure the site it 100% necessary because she thinks most homeowners would act more neighborly and not "tattle" on their neighbors.

"It's not the first thing on your mind. The first thing on your mind is, 'Oh, how is it in Nebraska?' Not, 'How long have you been living in Virginia?'" said Burstein when asked about whether she would report a neighbor whose car has out of state tags.

The tax violation reporting site can be accessed by clicking here.

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