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Q: What are the rules regarding application of sales taxes? Are the taxes figured out

on point of purchase or point of delivery? We live in Madison County, but outside the Huntsville City limits. If we buy furniture from a store in Huntsville and have it delivered to our home, should the sales tax be 8 percent or 5.5 percent? Our mailing address is Huntsville, 35811.

A: A spokeswoman for the city Finance Department said you do not have to pay sales tax on furniture or other merchandise you buy in Huntsville but is delivered to an address outside the city. She emphasized that the merchandise must be delivered. By the way, some Huntsville mailing addresses are actually outside the city.

Q: My wife and I live in southeast Huntsville. In a walk, we encountered a home that has government paperwork on it indicating it is inhabitable. The house (address deleted) is more rundown every time we pass it. The homes around this white elephant are nice and rather well-kept. We feel the government ought to tear down this house, or take care of whatever is wrong and sell it. What is the story here? Our guess: It was a meth house and the EPA condemned it.

A: It was not a meth house and it was not condemned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The city's Community Development Department acted in this case. The department enforces city laws on unsafe buildings, substandard housing, junk and litter, tall grass and weeds, overweight truck parking, inoperative motor vehicles on right of way, and the abatement of public nuisances.

The house was condemned by the department on April 14, 2010, with an unsafe building notice because it did not meet the city building code and was unsanitary. City inspectors reported evidence of urine, feces and rotting garbage. The kitchen flooring was rotted and saturated with urine and feces, reportedly because the owner left dogs in the kitchen for long periods without letting them out.

Keith Atchley, code enforcement manager for Community Development, said the city has been unable to find the former resident and has issued a warrant for his arrest because he did not respond to the city's complaint. The former resident is one of two heirs to the house. In the meantime, the house was purchased in a tax sale, and the city is trying to find the buyer to make repairs.