negotiating with your municipality

[rj.phila]

hi folks, i have a very slight bit of a conundrum. my city real estate taxes for a property i own were due at the beginning of the year, and were not paid. this is only because i never received the bill(i also experienced a mailing address error with the city earlier this year in regards to my water bill). i pay all my RE taxes in full each year. i know its my responsibility, but....i see whats in front of me, so if a bill doesnt show, i dont exactly remember that i havent paid a bill.

i now have $155 in interest i have accrued already, apparently, on my delinquent tax bill, for the 2012 amount. i'll be paying the balance in full, but paying interest on a bill i never received just smarts.

what's my best approach to negotiate my way out of paying that interest? i know its not a ton, but its the GD principal of the thing. i pay through the nose on my business privilege taxes already. gonna get on the phone tomorrow with the city. tips?

[snafu]

You will need good luck to wiggle out of paying interest on the late payment of your municipal taxes since all the communities are so pressed for cash. If the address of record is incorrect, make sure it's corrected. I suggest you plead for a write-off or at least a reduction for the late payment going up the hierarchy to the person with authority to give you what you want.