Politics & Government
Monday Deadline to File Income Tax, Register to Vote
Late night extended hours for last-minute IRS filings are pretty much a thing of the past, say U.S. Postal Service officials. Monday is the deadline to file and to register to vote in the primary election.
Don’t expect your local Post Office to be open late this weekend as the deadline for filing your incomes taxes nears, local and national officials tell Patch.
Media Post Office will operate under it's normal business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday.
However, the normal Ides-of-April deadline is extended this year by three full days. Filings must be postmarked by Monday, April 18. The IRS, it would seem, is basically telling the American public, "Look. Relax. Take the weekend."
Find out what's happening in Mediawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The U.S. Postal Service has lost many millions of dollars in revenues over the past decade, caused by a precipitous decline in the volume of first-class mail. And since the recession hit a few years ago, tens of thousands of postal workers have lost their jobs (or were not replaced when they left).
The days of accommodating late night procrastinators, then, would seem to be long gone.
Find out what's happening in Mediawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"The main Post Office at 30th and Chestnut streets in Philadelphia will not have extended hours for April 18," stated Cathy Yarosky, Philadelphia metro district spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service. "The lobby will be open until 9 p.m. There will be no extended retail hours at any of our city offices."
For many years, images of cars and pedestrians streaming toward the 30th Street branch were an annual staple on the calendars of local TV news stations. It was a sort of video hangover cure for the dried-up seasonal snow coverage bonanza.
But these days, in addition to the economic woes of the Postal Service, there are simply far fewer excuses for being tardy with Uncle Sam’s slice of the pie.
"With the increasing number of online tax filings, there has been very little need to extend post office hours of operations widely," said Joanne Veto, a national spokeswoman for the U.S. Postal Service.
That said, extended hours are ultimately a local decision, she added.
Media Post Office is open on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. and it is closed on Sunday.
Voter Registration Deadline is Also Monday
Monday is also the deadline to register to vote in the May 17 primary, which along with the Democrats and Republicans choosing their candidates in the municipal races, nine candidates are vying for five seats in the Rose Tree Media School Board election.
In Pennsylvania, only voters who are registered as Democrat or Republican can vote in the primary election. Voters registered as Independent can only vote on ballot questions or in the case of a special election held in conjunction with the primary.
End of day Monday is the deadline to register to vote, change your party affiliation and notify a change of address.
Looks like this weekend will be a busy one for those procrastinators out there. Get those income taxes filed and don't forget to register to vote.
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