A list of people who owe delinquent personal property tax will be published this month in the Winfield Courier, according to Cowley County Treasurer Kathy Foust.
Personal property includes boats, trailers, mobile homes and off-road vehicles. Interest and fees will have to be paid now in addition to the original tax.
Delinquent personal property taxpayers can’t buy new tags when their old tags expire until the delinquency is paid, Foust said.
Those who owe three years real estate property tax are likely involved in a tax foreclosure sale Cowley County Commissioners approved earlier this month. At the time, approximately 200 properties were involved. Many taxpayers responded to notices that went out in April.
Foreclosure action was initiated in Cowley County District Court several months ago. The procedures leading up to the auction are lengthy ones. No date has yet been set for the auction. It may be after the first of the year before the auction is held, Foust said.
You have until an hour before the sale to redeem the property. However, if you owe three years than you’ll have to pay the entire bill all at once. The last tax sale was in 2006.
There was also good news coming out of Foust’ office this morning – at least for school districts, cities and other governmental entities who receive a portion of the tax dollars Foust collects. She was busy today closing out the 2007 tax year to make the last distributions this month. So – watch for a check in the mail.
Don’t get too comfortable about your taxpayer obligations if you don’t fall in any of those categories. Foust is also working on the new tax statements. They’ll be mailed in November. The first half is due Dec. 20th.
"The tax statement will look different," Foust said. "We’re combining the tax statement and the information sheet we usually mail separately later."
Several other counties combined the two last year and were pleased with the outcome, she said.
"It’s going to save (money), supplies, postage and time," Foust said.
