The annual delinquent property tax sale on Oct 10 resulted in $221,787.72 in back taxes collected for the Jackson County coffers, according to Jackson County Auditor Kathy Hohenstreiter.
Originally there were 149 properties advertised with delinquent taxes offered but by sale day that number was pared down to 42 parcels.
A property tax sale is required to be held in each Hoosier county fir those properties when an owner of real estate has failed to pay the property taxes from the prior year and the first property tax installment for the present year.
A tax lien on the property may be sold to the highest bidder to satisfy the tax obligation. The owners of the properties sold at tax sale have one year to pay delinquent property taxes, costs and penalties to keep the property.
Hohenstreiter said that 25 bidders took part in the auction.
“Tax sales are a necessary function of county government,” said County Treasurer Maria Fisher. “It is only fair to the people who pay their property taxes every year to pursue those who do not pay.”
There were nine properties-located in Seymour, Clearspring and Freetown- that failed to obtain a minimum bit and were not sold, according to Hohenstreiter. The county commissioners may offer those properties to the public at a sale at a later date.
“It is out ultimate goal to return these properties to the tax rolls as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said Hohenstreiter. “Property owned by people who pay their property taxes ensure our local government services are fully funded.”
The property tax sale was conducted by Indianapolis based SRI Inc. which conducts tax sales in 83 counties in Indiana, Michigan and Colorado.
