Holmes recouping delinquent tax money
Letter to the Editor,
When it comes to property tax, the law holds every citizen to the same standard. In Holmes County, it’s expected we all pay our fair share and comply with the law. The revenue through the collection of property tax supports schools, police and fire protection, maintenance of roads, and many other public services of Holmes County. When property tax goes unpaid, municipalities that plan for these funds are affected and may feel additional funding is necessary.
On behalf of Holmes County treasurer Leslee Mast and Holmes County prosecutor Matt Muzic, we wanted to inform the public about our recent efforts to recoup delinquent tax money.
Over the past several decades, numerous delinquent properties have accumulated on Holmes County’s books, many due to death of owners that resulted in orphaned parcels. Some of these properties have been in delinquency for several decades. In 2021 the treasurer’s office and prosecutor’s office began a campaign to address this issue and started actions against 80-plus parcels, all delinquent before 2020. Holmes County’s current delinquency rate is under 1% for 2022, adjusted for a pipeline bankruptcy case that so far has been uncollectable.
The efforts of the treasurer’s and prosecutor’s offices have recouped over $90,000 in unpaid taxes and a total collection of over $270,000. Many of these cases resulted in a tax foreclosure where property was transferred to a new owner, giving opportunity for growth and a stable tax base.
We aren’t done yet. We see it as a serious responsibility to make sure everyone is held to the same standard and money already owed to the county is collected and disbursed before additional funding is considered.
Matt Muzic
Millersburg