Monday Mail: Don't be in the dark on taxes due

Should 5 percent appear too small, be thankful it’s Monday Mail.

Our opening is from the Beatles' song "Taxman."

Timekeeper

With the arrival of autumn last week, the daylight now shrinks daily as the dark swells, and so will it go until the winter solstice arrives at 11:48 p.m. Monday, Dec. 21, when daylight starts to increase.

You may note also that if Dec. 21 is a Monday, then Christmas falls on Friday.

Some of us will feel as if the loss of daylight accelerates when daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1.

You may note also that if Nov. 1 is a Sunday, then Halloween is a Saturday.

Pony up

A date more imminent is Oct. 1, this Thursday, when homeowners here are expected to pay 40 percent of their property taxes.

They may pay the entire amount due, but if they don't, the remaining 60 percent will be due Dec. 1.

What happens if they pay nothing?

Nothing, if they don't own any property. Else they are assessed a penalty, according to this notice that is online:

"If 40 percent is not paid by Oct. 1, the total amount is delinquent and subject to penalty and interest. A 5 percent penalty is attached if the first portion is not paid by Oct. 1; if not paid by Dec. 1, another 5 percent penalty is attached. A 1 percent interest penalty is attached if payment is not received (postmarked) by midnight Dec. 20. The 1 percent interest is attached each month thereafter until payment is received."

As we always note here to keep people from driving downtown, where some motorists get so lost they can't stay in their lane or recognize traffic lights, the tax commissioner's office isn't in the Columbus Government Center now. It's in the city service center off Macon Road, where everyone has to enter through the rear door.

Firestorm

In the email we have this message from Steve Gordon of San Antonio, Texas, in regard to an August column on wildfires:

Timmy:

Just read your column on the fires out West. Yes, they are bad, and can get really bad very quickly.

Back a few years ago, when we experienced the Bastrop (Texas) fires, we could see the huge smoke plumes from San Antonio. I remember going outside and looking to the northeast and seeing these grayish-black palls rising up like something out of one of those apocalyptic novels. It was scary. SAFD sent personnel to assist in the firefighting efforts. It was not a good sight to see, and Bastrop is a good two hours away.

Dear Steve:

What's worse is when the smoke isn't a plume in the distance, but a choking smog that clouds the air all around you.

Tim Chitwood, tchitwood@ledger-enquirer.com, 706-571-8508.

This story was originally published September 27, 2015 at 10:12 PM with the headline "Monday Mail: Don't be in the dark on taxes due ."