The Popcorn Stand: Jan. 1 becomes a taxing situation

I’m easily confused when it comes to important dates or deadlines falling on weekends or holidays. Like this year, April 15 fell on a Saturday, so our federal income taxes weren’t due until April 17. And I guess in Boston where they celebrated Patriots Day on April 17 their taxes weren’t due until April 18.

I do think it’s pretty cool, though, here in Nevada every few years we celebrate Halloween on Nevada Day, Friday, Oct. 30 (which is the holiday for public institutions) and we celebrate Nevada Day on Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31.

Then there’s the situation when I order something and it takes 7 to 10 business days to deliver. I can never figure out actually how many days that is. Or sometimes a company will just say 7 to 10 days. Does that mean business days? And what about Saturdays? The Post Office delivers on Saturdays so should those days be counted or not?

We seem to have come to another somewhat sticky situation when it comes to property taxes here in Carson City as the due date for the third installment for your payment if you choose to pay that way is Jan. 1, 2018. That’s because of Nevada Revised Statutes states the installment is due on the first Monday of the year, which in 2018 just happens to fall on Jan. 1. But Carson City offices will be closed on Jan. 1, 2018.

Carson City Treasurer Gayle Robertson says she can’t move the date from Jan. 1 to, say, Jan. 2. That’s because NRS won’t allow it. I guess that makes too much sense. And it seems to me Carson City has provided plenty of payment options including paying online or paying in advance or dropping off the payment in the green box on Plaza Street on the east side of City Hall.

Plus there’s a 10-day grace period anyway, so if the installment isn’t paid within that 10-day period, a 4 percent penalty is added. Of course if the Powers That Be (Nevada Legislature) come to their senses and change the due date to Jan. 2 on years when the first Monday of the year falls on Jan. 1, does that mean the grace period is extended to Jan. 11?

I guess we should just be thankful the payment isn’t due the fourth Monday in December of this year.

— Charles Whisnand