Post Offices Hit by Deluge of Late Tax Filers

Despite having two extra days to prepare and mail their returns, thousands of Ventura County residents waited in classic fashion until late Monday to pay their state and federal taxes, forming lines and snarling traffic in post office parking lots.

In some cases it was because they owed the government, while yet others admitted to being victims of their own procrastination.

“It’s a little embarrassing, but I always file late when I have to pay,” said Valerie Marchais, a 22-year-old secretary from Ventura. “I figure why let the government collect the interest?”

Pam Meade, 35, of Ojai, agreed.

“I’ve had my federal return ready to go for three weeks,” said Meade, a local bank employee. “Why let them make a dime more if you don’t have to?”

Although this year’s filing deadline was delayed by 48 hours because the traditional April 15 filing date landed on a weekend, Mick Barnes, a 47-year-old Ventura landscaper, said he didn’t use the extra time to get his returns in early.

“The extension gave me back my weekend,” Barnes said. “I loved it.”

And, state and federal tax officials say they expect Ventura County residents to file more than 270,000 returns this year, based on taxpayer performance in 1994.

Because the traditional tax deadline came Saturday, government officials said the last-minute rush has been stretched out. Those in the professional tax preparation business agreed.

“I would have to say that Saturday so far has been our big day this year,” said Judy Daniels, manager of the H & R Block in Thousand Oaks. “It’s been steady all day today, but Saturday was incredible.”

Daniels said the tax preparation service was planning to stay open late Monday to handle last-minute customers.

The tax deadline day also means the onset of aching backs and sore feet for U.S. Postal Service workers.

In Thousand Oaks, post office spokeswoman Sylvia Cobos said she expected her facility--which handles mail from Thousand Oaks, Agoura, Westlake and some Los Angeles County cities--to see a 20% increase in Monday’s mail load due to the tax returns.

At the sprawling Oxnard post office facility, which handles the lion’s share of Ventura County’s mail, about 31,000 extra pieces of mail were expected to be canceled due to last-minute filers.

“It’s been a heavy day and we’re not even close to midnight yet,” said Ron Quintana, manager of the Oxnard facility’s processing and distribution arm Monday afternoon.

Quintana said mixed together with regular mail, the Oxnard plant will cancel and process nearly about 325,000 pieces of mail from Monday’s rush.