Our Issues
Roanoke is a city full of energy and ideas. The Commissioner of the Revenue’s office should be catalyzing that energy to empower small business owners, their employees, and Roanoke to succeed.
Technology
The process of establishing a business is challenging. I tried doing so myself in the summer of 2020. Working with the Commissioner of the Revenue’s office when setting up shop in Roanoke should not be an exercise in who can outlast the other and while no one like to pay taxes and fees, they are a reality of helping Roanoke function.
We have worked to improve the process with an online filing and payment platform, improved responsiveness to email requests, and improved integration with the city’s planning department. And we are continuously seeking ways we can better deliver our services.
Working Better
Since taking office, I have looked for ways to make the Commissioner of the Revenue’s office more efficient and responsive to the needs of taxpayers. These things include:
- Completing the successful implementation of a new tax processing system with online filing.
- Successfully advocating for the elimination of late-filing penalties for personal vehicles, including cars, trucks, and trailers.
- Increasing responsiveness to email and telephone requests.
- Improving communication between the Commissioner’s and Treasurer’s offices.
- Engaging with local business organizations to inform and educate on local tax code.
And I am continuing to seek ways that we may better serve you.
Forward-Facing Engagement
As one of the first local government bodies that local governments engage with, the Commissioner of the Revenue’s office should be easy to access, use, and to engage with. An office that is actively engaged with the local small business development community can work to ensure that businesses are able to launch successfully – and that they have the resources of the Commissioner of the Revenue’s office to support them.
As your Commissioner of the Revenue, I pledged to work with small businesses so that people are encouraged to pursue their success here in Roanoke. We have delivered on improving our outreach to businesses when it appears that they are in trouble, while still upholding the laws we are required to administer.
I want to hear from you. What are your thoughts?
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