Massachusetts Excise Tax Snafooooo!

[readytojump]

June 2000 I moved to Florida from Massachusetts. Two weeks prior to moving I purchased a used car. I registered it in Massachusetts. When I got to Florida I registered my car there. I honestly can't remember if I mailed the plates back to Massachusetts or what I did, it was 12 years ago. Anywho, fast forward to 2012, I have returned to Massachusetts and attempted to register my car and get a new Massachusetts license. Well, the RMV registered my car but they would not allow me to get a Massachusetts license until I paid an over due excise tax for the town of Marshfield, where I was living prior to moving in 2000. I'm like, what? really? 2000 tax bill?

I can't get any help from anyone. I called the deputy collector, who told me to call the Marshfield Town Hall, which I did. After I explained the story, they said I had to pay the bill before I could even begin to contest it or ask for an abatement and even then they only go back 3 years and even if I wasn't living in Marshfield at the time the tax bill went out, the fact that they mailed the bill is sufficient and it's considered 'received' and 'due' even if I wasn't living at the last known address. WHAT! This is a total sham. I don't even keep IRS tax returns past 7 years and they want me to produce documents from 12 years ago. Is there anything I can do? Any recourse what so ever... isn't there some kind of statute of limitations? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading

 

[disagreeable]

I provided a link, which says that absent a history of non payment, the statute of limitations is 6 years, though it can be extended beyond that.

http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cisexc/excidx.htm

 

[army judge]

I'd move to another state or territory.
Or, do what I'm planning to do, emigrate from a decaying, dying USA.
There are freer and less expensive countries on this planet.

 

[readytojump]

@disagreeable, thanks for the link. It was really helpful. I read through the Motor Vehicle and Trailer Excise Tax Manual and it appears I may have little recourse. They've written the law so that the tax payer really doesn't get the right to 'fight city hall'. However, I'm going to try and contact the Florida RMV and see if I can't get copies from their database of the vehicle registered in June of 2000. It appears that the Local Assessors office does have some jurisdiction in abating the excise tax, at least a portion of it. Thanks again.