There are emails being sent to individuals, including military members, military retirees, and civilian employees, which appear to be sent by a DFAS employee. Although the email appears to come from a DFAS employee and displays a dot mil address it is actually from a non-government email account. This is an example of what's called "spoofing."
The emails indicate that individuals who are receiving disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may be able to obtain additional funds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). These emails are not issued by DFAS and will likely result in a financial loss if you comply with the suggestions in the email. Bottom line – do not send your personal information or copies of your tax returns and 1099s to the individual listed in the email.
The email indicates that individuals receiving VA disability compensation can receive additional funds from the IRS. The email states that such funds can be obtained by sending copies of your VA award letter, your income tax returns, your 1099-Rs, your RAS statements, and a copy of your DD 214, to a so-called retired Colonel at an address in Florida. Do NOT follow the suggestions in the email because you will be providing a significant amount of your personal information to a complete stranger, which could result in a financial loss to you.
Meade County Offices Close @ Noon on Friday, April 6, 2012
In observance of Good Friday - Meade County Office Buildings will close at noon on Friday, April 6, 2012. We will be open for business on Monday April 9, 2012 @ 8:00 AM.
Property Tax Relief for Elderly and Disabled Residents
South Dakotans have until April 1, 2012, to apply for property tax relief under the state's assessment freeze program for elderly and disabled residents.
To qualify for the program, applicants must have owned a single-family dwelling and lived in South Dakota for at least one year and have lived in that dwelling for at least 200 days of the previous year.
Income cannot exceed $25,116 for a single-member household or $31,395 for a multiple-member household. Residents must also be 65 years of age or older or disabled according to the Social Security Act to qualify.
Applications are available from local county treasurer's offices or by contacting the Department of Revenue in Pierre at 773-3139 or 1-800-829-9188. Additional information is available at: http://www.state.sd.us/drr2/propspectax/property/relief.htm.
Meade County Institutes Immediate Burn Ban
The Meade County Commission met in emergency session today to initiate an immediate county-wide burn ban. Due to the extreme fire dangers that exist, we immediately institute a burn ban in Meade County, until it is deemed by the commission that conditions have improved.
Veteran's Benefits Briefing Scheduled for 4/20/12 at 6pm
There will be a briefing concerning Veteran's Benefits at the Meade County Commissioners Briefing Room located in the Erskine Building on Sherman Street at 6 p.m., Friday, April 20th. Information will be provided on Veteran's disability benefits, VA Healthcare Eligibility, Burial Benefits, Military Records Retrieval, and Spouse's Pensions. This is a great opportunity to have your questions answered concerning the VA.
Meade County New District Boundaries
The Board of Meade County Commissioners voted on February 7, 2012, to approve new district boundaries in Meade County. The need to redistrict is due to the 2010 Census numbers, which indicated a change in population numbers among the districts. To ensure even population distribution, the commissioners voted to change the district lines slightly. The new district map can be viewed here: Redistrict Map Zoned in 2012
