Tax deadbeats pay up as amnesty deadlines loom

Time's running out for delinquent taxpayers - or nonpayers - to take advantage of amnesty programs offered by Pennsylvania and Philadelphia.

The deadlines: Friday for the state, the following Friday, June 25, for city filers.

So far, Pennsylvania has collected $120 million from 38,700 applications, Secretary of Revenue C. Daniel Hassell reported Monday.

The biggest chunk was $2.1 million from a single corporate filer.

Philadelphia's program, its first in more than 20 years, had collected more than $7 million from 9,400 applications, as of last Tuesday.

The two programs have similar offers for beating the deadline: Pay no penalties and pay only half the interest owed.

The state's heavily advertised program promises to pursue and prosecute scofflaws who fail to pay up by Friday. Those who fail to comply will be assessed an extra 5 percent and "may face other enforcement actions," according to a state news release.

The haul for state coffers is expected to total about $190 million.

For more on the state program, go to www.PATaxPayUp.com or call 1-877-347-2987 (1-877-34-PAYUP) between 7:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. through Thursday, until midnight on June 18.

Mayor Nutter also had words of warning. "There are many more people out there who can - and should - take part in Philadelphia Tax Amnesty, and this is their last chance before the city gets tougher than ever before," he said.

In the city, applications and payments can be made through www.PhillyTaxAmnesty.com or by calling 1-877-645-4108 or 1-877-323-4124. A walk-in site is also open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at 1315 Walnut St., Suite 1300, to provide assistance and accept payments.