The city of Waynesboro is thinking of adding a penalty for residents who file their personal property taxes late.

Over the last three years, the city council says between 20 percent and 37 percent of residents have filed late or not at all.

That causes delays for the Commissioner of Revenue to establish accurate assessments and tax bills.

When talking about a possible late fee, Waynesboro City Councilwoman Nancy Dowdy says, "It will save us money to become more efficient, which will save the city of Waynesboro money in terms of staff time. It's not a revenue generator. It is more of a compliance issue to get people to comply with what's already in place.

Waynesboro has never charged a penalty for late filing, though there is penalty for late payment. There will be a public hearing on the issue on February 9.