After two more phone calls, I’m no longer a tax scofflaw in the eyes of Arlington County and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.

Arlington County has admitted its mistake in trying to collect taxes for a business that didn’t exist for years I didn’t live in their county and has released its hold on my vehicle license plate renewals.

Just in the nick of time — the stickers for one of our three cars comes due at the end of this month (Sunday). I renewed the registration online this morning and should have the stickers by Monday. In the meantime I have a printed receipt good through April 15 to show a cop if stopped.

My release from Arlington County tax hell came from the efforts of a nice lady named Mrs. Gibson who cut through the red tape and zeroed out my tax liability. I followed up the phone call to her with one to the Arlington County Treasurer’s office where they went into their computer and released the hold.

Both departments said letters of apology would follow shortly.