LUMBERTON - About 180 city residents have gotten a deal on their taxes because of a clerical error by the company that processes the bills - and a lot more could do the same if they hurry.

Residents usually receive a 1 percent discount on their tax bills if they make payment before Aug. 31, which is this coming Friday. But the first 2,000 bills tax bills sent to residents offered a 2 percent reduction. The extra 1 percent on a home valued at $100,000 equals to a $10 savings.

City Manager Wayne Horne said the city caught the mistake last week.

"It's just an administrative error," Horne said. "It happens and we don't know why. Apparently during the transition something was keyed in wrong."

Horne said that residents who have already paid their bills will not have to pay the remaining balance.

"Nobody will have to pay extra," he said. "They are only required to pay what is on the bill. It's not a big problem, and the error does not reflect on the taxpayer."

Horne said that the city will speak with ICS, the company that processes the bills, and the City Council will decide who will cover the shortfall.

The city sent out a total of about 10,000 tax bills to residents and local businesses for a total of assessment of about $8 million. The remainder of the tax bills list the correct discount of 1 percent for those who pay by Aug. 31.