Local News

Bridgeport- Coming soon to Bridgeport, on April 1, is a new high tech system that roots out tax delinquents. It is similar to the boot that traffic violators get for having outstanding parking tickets. This new system is called the “bootfinder” which is a device that reads license plate numbers and then a computer determines whether the vehicles owner has paid taxes on it or not. If delinquent taxes are not paid, the car will be towed leaving the owner with the responsibility to pick up the towing bill along with past due taxes and other penalties.
The city of New Haven already has this system in place and has been having great success with it. Meanwhile, other cities are planning to get the new device.
Many people have been in fear of this system and are scrambling down to city hall to pay their taxes. “That’s the last thing I need is for my car to be taken. If it isn’t one thing it’s another,” says Ramona as she was standing in line at the Bridgeport tax office. “Normally the lines aren’t this long for this many days consecutively. I guess everyone heard about the bootfinder.
I just paid my taxes that were from a couple of years ago and then I get this letter in the mail stating that the City of Bridgeport tax Collector’s office will issue a tax warrant to enforce my delinquent taxes,” says Lena. “It’s a good thing that I paid them already, because I would have been one of those people to get that boot.”
She goes on to say, “I try to pay my car taxes on time and sometimes I forget, but this is the first time that I have ever received a letter from them stating that they are going to take action. With all of this going on I know they’re really cracking down on things now.”
Although the boot that is used for outstanding parking tickets is part of the police department, the new system, the “bootfinder”, is that of city’s Tax Collector’s Office. According to the Bridgeport police department, the new system is going to be handled by a private company.