Colorado Secretary of State Bernie Buescher said permission has been granted by the Colorado Senate to return more than $1.5 million in overpayments to thousands of individuals and businesses.
Buescher was visiting Bent County Clerk Patti Nickell on March 10 as he made his way around the state, meeting with county clerks to find out what clerks and counties are facing.
The payments being refunded were processed within the Secretary of State’s Business Division and many involved filings that were initially rejected by the division.
“Over 40,000 individuals and businesses deposited funds with the Department of State or overpaid their filing fees between 1997 and 2004,” Buescher said.
Initially, Buescher directed his department to start cutting checks to return the funds, then found out he was prevented in doing so by a state law requiring a written request prior to refunding money over a year old.
Senate Bill 143 was approved and now allows Buescher to repay the overdrafts directly to the payee.
The repayments affect 20 people in Las Animas, he said.
“We owe money, and I’d like to give it back,” Buescher said.
Many people paid fees and filed documents that were rejected by the Secretary of State’s Business Division. However, when the filings were corrected, many sent in an additional payment with the refilling.
“We kept both of them,” Buescher said.
Department of State staff has spent the past few months updating and consolidating accounts to expidite refunds.
Individuals who may have overpaid between 1997 and 2004 will soon be able to search on the Secretary of State’s Web site to see if they’re owed a refund.
“There are 20 people in Las Animas we owe money to and I’d like to give it back,” Buescher said.
The Secretary of State’s Web site is www.sos.state.co.us and the information on who is owed a refund will be posted soon, he said.
Additionally, after April 1, the site will also feature on-line voter registration.
Registration to vote can be done when people are as young as 17 years old and will feature a non-partisan way to register to vote in Colorado.
“You know it’s going to get done because you did it yourself,” he said.
In order to register to vote on-line after April 1, residents of Colorado must have a state issued ID card or Driver’s License.
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Colorado Secretary of State Bernie Buescher said permission has been granted by the Colorado Senate to return more than $1.5 million in overpayments to thousands of individuals and businesses.
Buescher was visiting Bent County Clerk Patti Nickell on March 10 as he made his way around the state, meeting with county clerks to find out what clerks and counties are facing.
The payments being refunded were processed within the Secretary of State’s Business Division and many involved filings that were initially rejected by the division.
“Over 40,000 individuals and businesses deposited funds with the Department of State or overpaid their filing fees between 1997 and 2004,” Buescher said.
Initially, Buescher directed his department to start cutting checks to return the funds, then found out he was prevented in doing so by a state law requiring a written request prior to refunding money over a year old.
Senate Bill 143 was approved and now allows Buescher to repay the overdrafts directly to the payee.
The repayments affect 20 people in Las Animas, he said.
“We owe money, and I’d like to give it back,” Buescher said.
Many people paid fees and filed documents that were rejected by the Secretary of State’s Business Division. However, when the filings were corrected, many sent in an additional payment with the refilling.
“We kept both of them,” Buescher said.
Department of State staff has spent the past few months updating and consolidating accounts to expidite refunds.
Individuals who may have overpaid between 1997 and 2004 will soon be able to search on the Secretary of State’s Web site to see if they’re owed a refund.
“There are 20 people in Las Animas we owe money to and I’d like to give it back,” Buescher said.
The Secretary of State’s Web site is www.sos.state.co.us and the information on who is owed a refund will be posted soon, he said.
Additionally, after April 1, the site will also feature on-line voter registration.
Registration to vote can be done when people are as young as 17 years old and will feature a non-partisan way to register to vote in Colorado.
“You know it’s going to get done because you did it yourself,” he said.
In order to register to vote on-line after April 1, residents of Colorado must have a state issued ID card or Driver’s License.
