By Ronica Shannon
Register News Writer
RICHMOND —
The City of Richmond is giving those who owe delinquent property taxes a chance to pay before their name and owed amount appear in the Richmond Register.
The names of those who owe and how much they owe the city is scheduled to be published as a legal advertisement in the newspaper Saturday, Sept. 25. The deadline to pay before the name and amount are listed is Tuesday, Sept. 21 by 4:30 p.m.
The delinquent taxes being sought are for 2009, and bills for 2010 collections will be mailed out on Oct. 1.
As of Wednesday, Sept. 1, $84,176.89 was owed to the city in property taxes for 2009, according to Richmond Finance Director Mike Broyles. This amount goes up to $103,117.60 after penalties and interest have been added.
These numbers have increased from the amount that was owed in 2008, he said.
Money collected through the property taxes goes into the city’s general fund and the operating fund for the Richmond Parks and Recreation Department.
The 2010-2011 fiscal year budget includes $2.3 million in property tax collections going into the general fund and $300,000 going toward the operation of parks and recreation.
The initial property tax bills come in the form of a postcard. If the bill remains unpaid, a reminder letter is sent between March and April, even though penalties and interest fines already are being applied.
Later in the year, a list of delinquent property taxes are listed in the newspaper.
Broyles said he is not aware of the city ever pressing criminal charges or filing suit against someone for not paying their property taxes.
“The worst-case scenario is that we collect when the property changes hands,” he said.
All back property taxes have to be paid before a clear title can be issued to the new property owner.
The public has a chance to purchase the delinquent property liens at a sale that will take place at the end of September in front of the Madison County Courthouse.
The sale must be conducted before the 2010 tax bills are delivered, Broyles said.
City property tax bills paid before Nov. 1 will be reduced by 2 percent. Bills paid after Dec. 31 will be assessed a 10-percent penalty.
Visit http://finance.richmond.ky.us. or call the Richmond Finance Department at 623-1000 to check the delinquent property tax list.
Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 624-6608.
