Money for
tax rebates here, but it's unclear when checks will be issued
by Fili Sagapolutele
Samoa News Correspondent
The U.S. Treasury
Department has transmitted to ASG the $20.4 million for the federal
economic stimulus law and Samoa News understands that ASG received
the entire amount yesterday and it has since been placed in a
separate trust fund account at a local bank.
When asked late
yesterday, Tax Office manager Melvin Joseph confirmed the money
has arrived and plans are already in place for the distribution
of the funds.
He said the current
plan is to issue rebate checks based on those who filed first
who did not have any problems with their returns.
"In order
words the tax return was final and there were no other problems
with it," said Joseph.
The rebate checks
will be distributed in alphabetical order and staggered throughout
the week with the government looking at releasing up to 3,000
during the first week of distribution.
"Staggering
the release of checks is part of controlling the crowd that shows
up at the Tax Office," said Joseph. "We don't want
everyone to show up on one day to get their rebate checks."
Under the plan
approved by the federal government, ASG has 10 days after receiving
the payment to begin distributing the rebates.
According to
the plan, payments based on 2007 individual income tax returns
filed on or before April 15 will be processed between May 1,
2008 (but not before ASG receives the money from the U.S. Treasury
Department) and July 31, 2008.
The Governor's
Office is expected to issue an official statement today about
the tax rebates.
Reach the
reporter at fili@samoanews.com.
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