County collects delinquent taxes

Jasper — Dubois County officials were able to collect $60,965.48 in delinquent property taxes on 77 properties prior to the annual tax sale held on Thursday.

According to officials, of the 96 parcels available; taxes on 54 were paid prior to the sale, 23 parcels were sold at the tax sale, and 19 were left unsold and unpaid.

The sale was conducted by County Auditor Kathy M. Hopf and County Treasurer Chad A. Blessinger, through Indianapolis-based SRI Incorporated, a company that specializes in property sales for government entities.

A property tax sale is required to be held when a real estate owner fails to pay the property taxes from the prior year’s first property tax bill installment. A tax lien on the property may be sold to satisfy the tax obligation to the highest bidder. The owners of the properties sold at the tax sale have one year to pay the delinquent property taxes, costs and penalties to keep the property.

“Tax sales are a necessary function of county government. It is only fair to the people who pay their property taxes every year to pursue those that do not pay,” County Treasurer Chad A. Blessinger said.

For the 19 properties that did not sell, the county commissioners acquire a tax lien and may offer those properties for sale to the public at a later date.

“It is our ultimate goal to return these properties to the tax rolls as quickly and efficiently as possible. Property owned by people that pay their property taxes ensure our local government services are fully funded,” said County Auditor Kathy Hopf in a press release.

For more information on property tax sales, visit http://www.sri-taxsale.com.