April 14, 2004 – After long lines formed at the Internal Revenue Bureau St. Thomas offices on Tuesday, information teams set up shop under canopies outside the Mandela Circle offices on Wednesday to provide assistance to taxpayers who've waited until the 11th hour to file their 2003 returns.
Louis Willis, IRB director, says he expects at least $91 million in tax revenues to flow through his agency this month.
On Tuesday, lines leading to the cashiers and the information windows at the IRB snaked out towards the glass doors of the Long Bay office by mid morning. Willis said he and his staff had expected a heavy turnout on Thursday — April 15th.
To cope with Tuesday's crush, he posted clerks at tables on the sidewalk outside the agency main entrance to cut down foot traffic through the small lobby.
Referring to the canopies set up on Wednesday, he said: "The reason we'll be out there for the next two days is because the IRB lobby is very small. It probably can hold 15 people before it gets crowded. We are taking our service outside to the public."
For those going right down to the wire, there's also a bit of accommodation from the U.S. Postal Service. One post office each on St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John will accept returns until the stroke of midnight Thursday. (See "Post offices to have midnight pickup on April 15".)
April 15 also is the deadline for quarterly tax payments such as withholding, excise and hotel room occupancy taxes and estimated payments for those who are self-employed.
Gross receipts taxes come due at the end of the month. With V.I. Carnival in April, Willis has in the past pointed out that gross receipts for the month are usually robust on St. Thomas. This week he also said revenues from personal income taxes look encouraging, with most of the returns received so far containing checks for taxes owed.

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