County to enhance tax evader program
 |
| Some of the vehicles parked at this apartment complex in Bailey’s Crossroads have Maryland or D.C. plates. |
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will consider a
proposal to expand the Target program, which allows people to anonymously report cars with out-of-state license plates as possible tax evaders.
The two districts with the most out-of-state plates are
Mason and Lee, Roberta Thomas, Target program manager in the Department of Tax Administration (DTA), said Aug. 21 at a meeting of the Bailey’s Crossroads Seven Corners Revitalization Corporation.
Mason and Lee, Roberta Thomas, Target program manager in the Department of Tax Administration (DTA), said Aug. 21 at a meeting of the Bailey’s Crossroads Seven Corners Revitalization Corporation.
The goal of Target is to ensure that people who keep vehicles in Fairfax County pay their fair share of personal property taxes.
Supervisor Jeff McKay (Lee) has proposed an additional $1
million to create eight staff positions within DTA and/or enhanced technology,
with the cost offset by fines generated from the program. The new staff members
would actively look for out-of-state plates in all districts, primarily on
evenings and weekends. The board is expected to vote on the proposal Sept. 25.
When a complaint is submitted to DTA’s tax evader portal about
a vehicle with out-of-state plates, Target staff conduct research to determine
who owns the vehicle, where they live, and whether the vehicle should be
registered in Virginia.
a vehicle with out-of-state plates, Target staff conduct research to determine
who owns the vehicle, where they live, and whether the vehicle should be
registered in Virginia.
The DTA tries to establish a connection to Fairfax County,
for example, by running the vehicle through the Virginia Criminal Information Network and determining whether the owner of the vehicle owns or rents property in Virginia, pays
for utilities in the state, and has a job here.
for example, by running the vehicle through the Virginia Criminal Information Network and determining whether the owner of the vehicle owns or rents property in Virginia, pays
for utilities in the state, and has a job here.
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles requires people to
register a vehicle in Virginia within 30 days after they purchase it or move to
Virginia. Fairfax County requires a vehicle owner to register within 60 days.
register a vehicle in Virginia within 30 days after they purchase it or move to
Virginia. Fairfax County requires a vehicle owner to register within 60 days.
If the vehicle is owned by a resident of another state who
pays taxes in that state, they won’t be charged in Virginia. Government-owned
vehicles, military vehicles, and daily rentals are exempt from personal
property taxes.
pays taxes in that state, they won’t be charged in Virginia. Government-owned
vehicles, military vehicles, and daily rentals are exempt from personal
property taxes.
When reporting a vehicle, the tipster needs to submit the
license plate number and state. It’s also helpful to include a description of
the vehicle and its location. The system doesn’t yet accept photos, but people can
send a photo to DTA via email. After making a report, people can look up the status
of their complaint.
license plate number and state. It’s also helpful to include a description of
the vehicle and its location. The system doesn’t yet accept photos, but people can
send a photo to DTA via email. After making a report, people can look up the status
of their complaint.
When a vehicle is reported, DTA notifies the vehicle owner
and gives them time to pay their taxes and bring their vehicle into compliance. In some cases, the owner might have moved to the
county and hadn’t yet registered a vehicle, could be here to care for a sick
relative, or could be registered in another jurisdiction in Virginia.
and gives them time to pay their taxes and bring their vehicle into compliance. In some cases, the owner might have moved to the
county and hadn’t yet registered a vehicle, could be here to care for a sick
relative, or could be registered in another jurisdiction in Virginia.
By far, the greatest number of violations logged by DTA,
1,150, were cars registered in Maryland. That was followed by cars registered
in Florida (290), Texas (176), D.C. (130), and Pennsylvania (122).
1,150, were cars registered in Maryland. That was followed by cars registered
in Florida (290), Texas (176), D.C. (130), and Pennsylvania (122).
Maryland doesn’t have a car tax and is more lenient in terms
of who can register a vehicle in the state, so that’s why there tend to be so many cars with Maryland plates parked in Mason District.
of who can register a vehicle in the state, so that’s why there tend to be so many cars with Maryland plates parked in Mason District.
Fifteen percent of vehicles investigated by DTA were brought
into the Fairfax County system, generating nearly $2.4 million, Thomas says.
into the Fairfax County system, generating nearly $2.4 million, Thomas says.
When a vehicle is found to be violation, the owner can be
assessed back taxes for up to three years plus the current year and an annual
penalty of $350. Virginia residents can continue to have a vehicle registered
in Maryland as long as they pay the $350 fee every year.
assessed back taxes for up to three years plus the current year and an annual
penalty of $350. Virginia residents can continue to have a vehicle registered
in Maryland as long as they pay the $350 fee every year.
The Board of Supervisors has directed the county executive
to upgrade program, Thomas says, including the establishment of a field canvass
team and increased use of data analytics and private sector databases.
to upgrade program, Thomas says, including the establishment of a field canvass
team and increased use of data analytics and private sector databases.
"Fairfax County encourages people to anonymously report undocumented immigrants." That's basically what we are talking about here. A horrible idea, in this era of gestapo ICE tactics.
No, it isn't.
Do illegal immigrants deserve tax free cars? I thought they contributed to their taxes and werent in gangs…
Is that how you read this? Are you saying everyone evading taxes by registering their car in another state is an illegal immigrant? And if they are you are insinuating it's ok to overlook that?
Several years ago VA DMV adopted a policy of requiring proof of citizenship or proof of legal status in this country before licenses or vehicle registrations would be issued. Like it or not, that's the way it is. shortly after these rules were implemented, someone figured out that all that needed to be done was to shoot across either the American Legion bridge or the Wilson bridge, go to the nearest MD DMV with a bogus MD address and come away with license and tags, then return to their VA apartment and go on as usual. As a result there are thousands of these illegally registered vehicles in Northern VA simply because of the close proximity to the state of MD. These drivers do not pay personal property tax nor do they obtain annual state inspections or emission tests. The original intent is not to evade taxes but simply to secure license tags. The taxes are a secondary issue. But why should Fairfax county forego these millions of dollars of unpaid tax revenue? If a person does not have the proper documentation to secure VA tags it indicates that they have disregarded our laws at least once. Then they disregard them again by illegally registering their vehicles in our state and county. Fairfax county is perfectly within their rights to aggressively pursue these offenders. Many of our apartment management companies in the county are also complicit in this scheme when they issue parking permits to people that they know to be their residents in VA but have MD tags on their cars. They should be fined as well.
I find it amusing that so many of these liberal do gooders have something to say but they hide behind anonymity. Where is the strength of your convictions? If you don't believe the extent of this problem try taking a little ride through the Commons area of Annandale or the various apartments in the Culmore or Baileys X rds area. As a former employee of FCPS I know that the school system has been operating under budget constraints for years; pay raises are frozen, programs cut, etc. Yet many want to turn a blind eye to thousands of illegally registered vehicles that represent millions of unpaid tax $$. TRH
How about paying bounties for all successful tips? If I'm going to the trouble of being an informant, I deserve something for my effort. – Sparky
You get less tax burden by reporting scofflaws.
It wouldn't make much sense to target illegals. First, it's not easy to prove that someone with a limited paper trail actually lives in another state. Odds are that person lives in an apartment rented out in some other person's name, and gets paid in cash under the table. Good luck proving they aren't "just crashing on the couch for a few days." Second, how would you get a judgement against them, then get them to pay it? This is going after people like this person in my neighborhood. They live in a 500k house and have multiple luxury vehicles. They aren't in the government/military and are stationed here from another state. They've had a Maryland plate on their Mercedes that's been parked on the street pretty much every day for the 14 years I've lived here. A person like that would have a paper trial that you could prove they're cheating the state. There would also be a way to fine and collect from them, since they couldn't play the hardship card.
You can report your neighbor now. With the illegal immigrants they can ticket and eventually tow their cars if they can not locate which apartment they are crashing on.
Good lord, is there nothing the county does that meets your approval. I say it’s worth the effort. And honestly don’t care if some undocumented immigrants get caught in the effort.
There are many cars parked at Charing Cross Condominiums that are out of state.
get 'em
Maryland does not require proof of citizenship to get a license or register a vehicle. Illegal Immigrants often get set up there and live cheaper in VA, send their kids to our schools etc.
Live cheaper in Va lolololoooooool
Adam. Check property and state taxes in VA versus MD. Go ahead. I'll wait.
I think my comments fell off. Anyway, I did check it out and I confirmed I knew how to multiply and that MD doesn’t have a car tax, thanks for waiting.
I do not always agree with Adam but I must on this point. Maryland is cheaper by far. They come to VA because we have better schools and give more away for free because we charge higher taxes so we can do that.
We also have a much cooler flag
Its about time this liberal biased County Gov't get realistic and penalize those who do not pay taxes. If you live, and drive in Fairfax then you need to have your car registered in VA and pay the car tax. All those taxes that are not collected from these many MD vehicles get indirectly passed on to those citizens that do pay their share. And if you get sent back to wherever you came from then good, you should have been abiding by the laws that the rest of us suckers do.
I'd like to see evidence that forcing someone to pay their car tax results in a saving for the rest of us. It's just as likely that the county would just spend the money without passing on any tax savings.
I also wonder how many residents defer purchasing new cars or newer used cars because they're unwilling or unable to pay the associated sales and car taxes. I drive a nice but really old car precisely for that reason. BTW, my car tax is $125 including the sticker. – Sparky
My, what a broad brush you paint with. This liberal is happy to see those who owe taxes pay up.
Now then, let's see who else hasn't been paying their fair share of taxes in this nation, shall we…?
pretty sure car tax dodgers aren't making or breaking the region, but alright.
Sparky – Penny already spent the money on more social servies.
My next door neighbor is a repeat offender, with Florida tags on both their cars even though they have lived here permanently for years. They were reported by several people (including myself) but nothing has been done.
A few years ago, I worked for four years with a woman who kept California plates on her car the whole time. She told me that she didn't want to have to deal with DMV and all that, so she just kept the California plates. She had a professional job and no connection to the military or government. She moved back to California, so it's no longer an issue. But I know from personal observation that people who look like regular residents will happily keep out-of-state plate on their cars if it saves them time and money.
The tax evader program is nothing new. It has had an online presence for years.
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news2/how-to-report-possible-car-tax-evaders/
Avoiding the car tax is only the tip of the iceberg. If they aren't registering their cars, then they are also probably not registered with VA licenses, and filing VA income tax. I've reported multiple cars to the tax evader line and it does nothing. They aren't in the military and stationed here. Look around and drive on the streets during rush hour. How many cars have plates from far away but yet they are driving to work? They surely aren't commuting on a daily basis from TN, NY, SC, FL, etc. It's time that the county and state start catching the evaders. Why should county residents pay for the tax evaders kids to go to school in FFX county and them drive on the roads regularly? Which US Representatives are covering them? Their "legal" location or their "real" location?