Winnipeg woman hit with $18,000 bill for taxes she thought she paid

WINNIPEG – A Winnipeg woman has been told by the city she owes 10 years worth of unpaid taxes — taxes she says she thought she had paid.

Kathleen Carpenter is facing an $18,000 bill dating back to 2003.

A clerical error meant another person was charged Carpenter’s property taxes on top of their own.

Carpenter has five years to pay the outstanding bill, but isn’t sure how she can come up with an extra $300 a month on top of her regular payments.

She was laid off in November and has not found work.

The city said it can’t comment on specific cases, but added it’s rare for unpaid taxes to go unnoticed.

“We’re down and we don’t know what to do about it. It’s going to be tough because they want us to start paying right away,” Carpenter said.

— CJOB