In a previous post, I detailed how the major credit card companies (Visa and MasterCard) effectively prohibited a local government or public authority from assessing a surcharge on customers who remitted payment of fees, assessments, and sometimes even taxes, by credit card, charge card, or debit card.

In a previous post, I detailed how the major credit card companies (Visa and MasterCard) effectively prohibited a local government or public authority from assessing a surcharge on customers who remitted payment of fees, assessments, and sometimes even taxes, by credit card, charge card, or debit card.

An incident involving the police department has riled up the citizens. The manager and the police chief are coming under heavy criticism. Several people have signed up to speak at the regular public comment period at the next council meeting and have indicated that they will speak about “the need for the firing of the police chief.” The clerk is concerned: Since it’s clear that personnel issues will be discussed, she  wonders whether the board has an obligation to hear the complaints in closed session.

An incident involving the police department has riled up the citizens. The manager and the police chief are coming under heavy criticism. Several people have signed up to speak at the regular public comment period at the next council meeting and have indicated that they will speak about “the need for the firing of the police chief.” The clerk is concerned: Since it’s clear that personnel issues will be discussed, she  wonders whether the board has an obligation to hear the complaints in closed session.

 What justifies a change to a real property tax appraisal in between county-wide reappraisals? The short answer is “not much.”  For a longer answer, take a look at last week’s opinion from the N.C.

 What justifies a change to a real property tax appraisal in between county-wide reappraisals? The short answer is “not much.”  For a longer answer, take a look at last week’s opinion from the N.C.

UPDATE AUGUST 2013: The General Assembly extended the authority for the Newer Special Assessment Method. It was set to expire on July 1, 2013. It is now set to expire on July 1, 2015. The legislature also made a few important changes to the Newer Special Assessment authority. See S.L. 2013-371. Blight City has fallen on hard times. Its population has declined significantly since the 1990s, due in large part to the shuttering of two large manufacturing plants.

UPDATE AUGUST 2013: The General Assembly extended the authority for the Newer Special Assessment Method. It was set to expire on July 1, 2013. It is now set to expire on July 1, 2015. The legislature also made a few important changes to the Newer Special Assessment authority. See S.L. 2013-371. Blight City has fallen on hard times. Its population has declined significantly since the 1990s, due in large part to the shuttering of two large manufacturing plants.

It is summer camp registration time at Fun City’s parks and recreation department. Department staff members are processing hundreds of registrations each day. That also means that the department is receiving hundreds of dollars in daily cash, checks, and credit card payments. The parks and recreation department collects registration payments throughout the year, but the volume is exponentially greater during the two- to three-week period of summer camp registration.

It is summer camp registration time at Fun City’s parks and recreation department. Department staff members are processing hundreds of registrations each day. That also means that the department is receiving hundreds of dollars in daily cash, checks, and credit card payments. The parks and recreation department collects registration payments throughout the year, but the volume is exponentially greater during the two- to three-week period of summer camp registration.