Moses Vargas, representing Mariscos de Vescalo at 369 Grand Avenue, asked the New Haven Tax Committee on Nov. 25 for assistance after receiving a large equipment-tax bill he said he did not receive earlier. He told the committee he manages a small business and cannot pay the full amount at once.

"So with some of this, it goes about $2,000," Vargas said when describing the equipment-tax assessment. Staff provided the account’s current balance as $2,894.70.

Committee members and staff discussed remedies for small businesses that miss filings or fail to receive mail due to shared mailboxes. A staff member noted the city sends tax bills to the last address on record but also said the assessor can offer arrangements. The committee discussed a 90-day payment arrangement as a practical option; staff said the balance would still accrue interest at a monthly rate of 1.5% unless the committee ordered a freeze.

The chair said the committee would deliberate and that the owner would receive a phone call with the committee’s decision following the vote. Staff offered to provide the owner a 90-day grace period and to follow up by phone after the committee’s action.

The committee did not adopt a separate formal ordinance for Mariscos during the meeting; staff will finalize the administrative arrangement and notify the owner of the terms.