A billing software error has led to unpleasant surprises for Lake Waccamaw property owners.
The town’s tax billing is handled by the county, like most communities. A software mistake led to bills that reflected a .20 cents per $100 valuation, not the actual .22 cents.
The error was discovered when residents went to pay their bills with the town and county, only to discover there was an extra amount due.
County tax supervisor Needham Hughes said the bills were correct in the main computer, but the software that generated the bills used the previous tax rate.
“I’m sending postcards to all the citizens to explain what happened,” he said. “More than half of Lake Waccamaw residents have already paid. They were surprised, but most have been understanding. Nobody likes to pay taxes, but we try to make it as easy as we can on our taxpayers. This was just a software error.”
Taxpayers are asked to call the county tax office at 910.640.6635, ext. 131, for more information.
