Will Government Shutdown Mean More Time to Pay Taxes?

Because of the federal government shutdown, the Board of County Supervisors should extend the deadline for paying personal property taxes, which are due Saturday, a Prince William County Supervisor said. 

Brentsville Supervisor Wally Covington on Thursday said that he would ask the Board to extend the deadline for up to 90 days, the maximum allowed by state law. Thousands of Prince William County residents are employed by the federal government, and many may not be receiving paychecks, Covington said. He will propose the resolution at the Board's Tuesday meeting. 

“In recognition of the fact that many citizens have already endured years of economic uncertainty due to the inaction of Congress to pass their own budgets and now, many of those same citizens today literally do not know when their next pay check is coming, we as their elected officials have a duty to use our power to bring them some relief," Covington said in a prepared statement. 

Gainesville Supervisor Peter Candland on Friday called the situation "an emergency" and said that he would support the proposed resolution. 

If the Board votes down the resolution, people who do not pay their taxes on Saturday may face a 10 percent late fee.