Seniors, be warned

To the editor:

Yesterday I contacted an office within the Mat-Su Borough and was checking on our tax ID and found that on Aug. 4, 2008, the check I sent to the borough for taxes due over and above the senior exemption was still in their coffers!

I then called the finance department and spoke to a clerk, who in turn put her supervisor on the phone. The supervisor told me that the mortgage company had also sent the payment seven days after we paid.

The full amount is still sitting in the building in Palmer. She said she was now — after three years — attempting to return the dollars to the mortgage company, which may or may not still be in business, and if not still in business, when would we get our refund? This is their policy, to have and to hold. I tried to speak with the borough mayor, but was not able to do that. We have a buyer for our home and I was checking to make sure all was ready to go into escrow and came upon this. So, is it the policy of the MSB to keep any monies overpaid? Is there not something amiss here? Note to seniors, check your tax ID and find out if this has happened to you.

JD and Bev Perdew

Wasilla