Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Tax return delay
may be due to errorsQuestion: How many months does it usually take on the average to process the state tax return? I called the tax office in June and was told they did receive my return, which I sent in early April, but because of their backlog, I would still have to wait awhile. I called the tax office again in August and again was told I would have to wait. If there were any problems or questions with my tax return, wouldn't the tax department contact me? How long can their backlog be?
Answer: You did not give your name, so we couldn't get a specific answer.
But if you had a "clean" return with no errors, filed it before April 20 and did not receive any communication from the Department of Taxation, you should have received your return months ago, said department spokeswoman Annette Yamanuha.
She advised calling the Taxpayer Services Branch at 587-4242, or toll-free, 1-800-222-3229, or send e-mail to Taxpayer_Services@tax.state.hi.us, providing a call-back number. Or you can go to your district tax office.
If there were any problems on a return that resulted in any adjustment to the refund or balance due amount, a taxpayer would have received an adjustment letter, Yamanuha said.
If a taxpayer filed a "clean" return, a refund would have been sent within two to eight weeks, depending on when the return was filed, she said. For example, returns filed in January or February are processed faster than those filed in March or April, when the bulk of returns are filed, she said.
Error-free returns requesting refunds that were filed in April were completed by June, she said. If there were errors, or if "manual intervention" were required, a taxpayer would generally have to wait eight to 12 weeks, she said.
However, she acknowledged an unspecified backlog on dealing with returns filed with computational or other errors and said some taxpayers still may not have received refunds.
Q: Is it possible to put a lighted no left-turn sign and traffic camera on Pensacola Street at King Street to make motorists further aware of the no-left except on green arrow sign? I don't know how many times I've tried to cross King on the Diamond Head side of the intersection (where there is a "Left turn on left arrow only" sign) only to be nearly hit by drivers turning from Pensacola onto King without the arrow. A traffic camera there would get their attention -- one way or another.
A: There are five "left turn on left arrow only" signs already posted on the approach to and at the intersection of South King and Pensacola streets, points out Cheryl Soon, director of the city Department of Transportation Services.
"The signs are clearly visible," she said. However, she said her staff would look into the feasibility of installing a lighted sign there.
She pointed out that traffic cameras are used to monitor traffic at certain locations, but are not used for enforcement purposes. However, she said the Honolulu Police Department is aware of drivers failing to heed the left-turn-on-left-arrow-only restriction and would be monitoring the intersection for violations.
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