The names of delinquent property taxpayers will soon begin appearing in local publications.
Cowley County Treasurer Kathy Foust couldn’t estimate how many names appear on the lists but said combined they owe more than $1 million in 2006 real estate taxes.
What’s more, a 7 percent interest penalty and $16 advertisement fee is causing the final tab to grow by leaps and bounds on a daily basis.
After a two year delinquency, the property becomes eligible for a tax sale, Foust said.
The delinquencies are about the same as last year despite the predictions of economists of huge losses in the housing market with home prices falling by half in some areas.
The tax dollars are suppose to be distributed to county, city and township governments, to local school systems, fire districts and the community college.
The governing bodies are currently finalizing their 2007 budgets. They have to try and estimate how much of the tax bill they won’t collect, while figuring how to finance the next year’s budgets, according to Foust.
