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City says new HDL portal is active after Avenue contract ended; officials advise businesses to contact city for problems
Summary
The city's tax and license administrator said the city's contract with Avenue ended in September, that HDL is now handling online payments, and that some businesses mistakenly paid other municipalities via Avenue; staff said they are working to make affected taxpayers whole and offered guidance for regulated licenses and renewal timing.
Yolanda Lawson, director of Tax and License Administration, told the Birmingham City Council on Feb. 11 that the city's payment relationship with Avenue was terminated in September and that the city has moved to a new online tax and payment portal managed via HDL.
Lawson said taxpayers can pay nonregulated business licenses online through the new system; regulated licenses (for example, barbering or electricians) require starting an online process and then providing additional documentation to the city's office if that documentation has not already been attached.
The transition has caused some problems, Lawson said. "Some taxpayers are going on with the impression that they're paying city of Birmingham taxes, but they're actually filing with another municipality," she said, adding that city staff are working with Avenue to clear up accounts. Council members said they were receiving calls from businesses that had paid via Avenue and later were told they still owed a city license; the administration said those taxpayers should not be charged twice and that the city will recoup funds from Avenue in cases where payments went to the wrong jurisdiction.
Lawson also explained a renewal timing rule: the city's portal allows license renewals no earlier than two weeks before the end of the year for gross-receipts-based licenses because gross receipts for the prior year are not final until December is complete. She provided a departmental contact number for questions: (205) 254-2198.
What happens next: Lawson said the city will provide follow-up to council and asked council members to forward specific taxpayer instances so staff can resolve them. The administration said the majority of renewals had been smooth but acknowledged transition-related problems for a minority of businesses.
Sources: statements by Yolanda Lawson, Tax and License Administration, and council discussion at the Feb. 11 Birmingham City Council meeting.
