Vigo County Tax Sale

March 24, 2009

Vigo County to hold property tax sale April 16

By Howard Greninger
The Tribune-Star
TERRE HAUTE March 23, 2009 11:48 pm

— Vigo County officials will hold a property tax sale April 16 to collect unpaid taxes.
Officials plan to closely monitor this year’s sale to note the interest of property buyers, as well as property owners, and the total collection of unpaid taxes.
“It will be interesting to see what the tax collection will be at the end of 2009. It takes about a year and a half for a property to be put into a tax sale, so I think it will be 2010 or 2011 before we see a reflection of the current economy,” said Kylissa Miller, chief deputy auditor for the county.
Vigo County had 1,250 parcels listed for the tax sale in February. As of Friday, however, the number had been reduced to 955 because some property owners paid their taxes and other parcels were removed from the sale.
Those parcels removed include mineral rights, improvements on leased ground, parcels now part of a bankruptcy, or parcels on which less than $100 in taxes is owed, Miller said.
The county seeks to collect more than $2.36 million in delinquent taxes, Miller said.
If taxes are not paid for 11/2 years, the property is then listed in a tax sale, according to state law.
Property owners can redeem their property sold in a tax sale within a year by paying back taxes, plus a 10 percent penalty in the first six months. A 15 percent penalty is applied in the second six months. The original property owner also must pay legal and title search fees.
Vigo County Treasurer Dave Crockett said the county has received about $110,000 since early February from unpaid taxes, as well as other payments such as salary garnishments.
“We ask taxpayers to come in and make a fairly substantial payment if they can and we will work with them to get their [unpaid] taxes caught up,” Crockett said. “We will work with them, as best we can, especially in the economic situation that we are in.”
In 2005, the county began with 1,995 property parcels in a tax sale, which was reduced to 1,400 prior to the sale. The county at that time had not held a tax sale for three years because of reassessment changes in state law.
Vigo County usually collects 96 to 98 percent of property taxes owed annually through the aid of a tax sale, Miller said. The sales are held at the county annex at First and Oak streets.

Howard Greninger can be reached at (812) 231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com